Project Midnight
by Angels of Fate
Summary: (AFTER A TWO YEAR HIATUS, WE ARE BACK IN THE SADDLE WITH THIS!)What happens when everything you thought you knew is wrong? If you think this is some MS story, you may be right, but how will you know unless you try? Ch 16: Stoicism and Sisterhood
1. Introductions

  
  
Julie, Maggie and Bridget walked into Julie's room.   
  
"I'm soooooo glad that my parents are letting me stay all weekend," Bridget said with a smile as she dumped her stuff on Julie's floor, her big, green, innocent eyes shining behind her glasses. She was 5'3, with shoulder length brown-blond hair, and very fair skinned.   
  
"Yeah," Maggie said with a classic smirk on her face, "now we don't have to beg your mom to let you stay later tomorrow."   
  
She then playfully threw a pillow at Bridget's head. She was an inch shorter than Bridget, with pretty much the same hair cut (only she didn't have bangs, and her hair was a mossy brown), blue eyed and slim (as all of us are in this story).   
  
"Yeah, B, we get to corrupt you for a whole weekend," Julie added as she patted Bridget on the head, to which Bridget promptly rolled her eyes. Julie laughed. Julie was the tallest with curly red hair, hazel eyes, glasses and a seemingly irremovable smile on her face. Suddenly Bridget smiled sweetly and took something out of her bag.   
  
"Juliiiiieeee," she said softly. Julie looked at Bridget and than smiled evilly, knowing that it was time for their evil plan to be put into action. Maggie's eyes darted from one friend to the other for a second before the alarm went off in her head.   
  
~Danger...danger, Maggie. The psychos are up to something!~   
  
"Bridget, give me what you have behind your back," Maggie said, using her most threatening voice and glare.   
  
Bridget took an involuntary step backward and put on her "who me?" look, which came very easily to her, being one of her usual looks, and said "What'd mean, Maggie?"  
  
"You know what I mean... and don't give me the sad puppy-dog eyes, they can't save you now." She lunged for Bridget, who dodged and laughingly held up her empty hands.   
  
"Damn." Maggie whispered, knowing what had happened to whatever it was Bridget had brought. She had been concentrating on Bridget and not on Julie... she'd underestimated her friends. Julie, meanwhile, had opened one of her drawers, taken out the duck tape and was standing with the Gundam Wing tape in her hands.   
  
"B. GET THE CHAIR! We'll get her to watch Gundam Wing yet!" she screamed.   
  
As Bridget went for the chair Maggie prepared herself for the "attack."  
  
"GET HER!" Julie screamed and Bridget did a Xena-like war cry. A loud thud, lots of giggling, and "Ouch"s were heard by Julie's parents, who simply looked at each other and shook their heads before going out the door. Julie's mom scribbled a note to the girls and left it on the counter, knowing the girls had neither noticed or cared when she said they were leaving.   
  
When it was all over. and the smoke had cleared. Bridget's arms where duck taped to the leg of Julie's bed and Maggie was sitting on Julie holding the G.W. video in her hands.   
  
"You want it?" Maggie asked sweetly.   
  
"Uh-huh." Bridget and Julie said as they nodded simultaneously.   
  
"You really want it?"   
  
The two girls on the floor caught each other's eyes and passed a quick message. "YES!"   
  
Maggie smiled wickedly. ~Victory!~ she thought. "Ok you can have it back....if you promise to put in Austin."   
  
Bridget and Julie exchanged smiles and nodded.   
  
"Ok." Bridget said as she began to maneuver her way out of the mass of tape around her hands.   
  
Julie, noticing this, called out to Maggie as she petted her dog, Drop Dead Fred (a.k.a. Fred or fat dog for short), "Hey, H.M.B.! Ya think we should untie little Ms. Innocent now?"   
  
"Eh, why not?" Maggie said as she walked back into the room, Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged Me now safely in the VCR. At the moment that Maggie was going to untie Bridget, Julie grabbed Maggie.   
  
"Run for it, B!" she called. Bridget, after using a nifty trick her older cousin Neil had taught her, ran into the living room with the G.W. tape. Hearing the struggle get louder she quickly ejected the tape and substituted it with the Gundam Wing tape.  
  
  
*Dimension 629-G4W69902*  
  
"Begin countdown sequencing for Project Midnight."  
  
  
*Our time and dimension*  
  
Maggie had knocked Julie over and had now run into the room just in time to stop the tape from playing. "Bridget Claire Joan Cannon, don't you dare after you promised! You never break your promises!"  
  
  
*629-G4W69902*  
  
"10....9.....8....."  
  
  
*Julie's house*  
  
"Yes, but come on, Maggie, they blow up lots of stuff... you'll like it if you just give it a chance, please." Bridget pushed the play button.  
  
  
*629-G4W69902*  
  
"...7.....6.....5...."  
  
  
*Julie's house*  
  
Julie came in and tried to help Bridget who Maggie had in headlock.  
  
  
*629-G4W69902*  
  
".....4.....3...2..."  
  
  
*Julie's house*  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Maggie, let go of me, you munchkin who has Napoleon syndrome!" Bridget screamed.   
  
"Look who's talking," Maggie retorted.   
  
"Oh, you're both midgets so get over it all ready. Maggie, stop it! You're either gonna break my VCR or Bridget's neck."  
  
  
  
*629-G4W69902*  
  
"....1. Well done, Lady Une. Now all we can do is wait and see what fruits our labor will bear. Please keep me posted on the details."   
  
With that Treize Khushrenada began to walk out of the room.   
  
"Yes, sir." Lady Une said.   
  
"Oh, and please get the proper welcoming committee ready."   
  
Lady Une smiled "Of course, sir."  
  
  
  
*Julie's house, right when 1 was counted.*  
  
Bridget was pushing "play" while Maggie was pushing "eject". Julie was trying to avoid Maggie's hits and pull her off Bridget.   
  
"STOP IT!" Bridget screamed. "Why are we fighting over a tape?"   
  
"Shut up, Bridget. This is a pride thing now." Maggie said. At that moment a streak of lightening hit the house, which hit the VCR ...and the girls felt no pain, they just saw bright white light.  
  
  
  
*629-G4W6990*  
  
The girls fell into a dark courtyard.(Not very gracefully I might add) Julie looked up and her jaw dropped.   
  
~I must have a concussion or something 'cause this isn't possible,~ she thought, and looked to Bridget who, much to Julie's horror, had the same look on her face.   
  
Maggie looked at her friends and than at the strange people around them. The one woman had hair in curled braids behind her ears, a red, old fashioned military coat and soldiers around her. Suddenly her expression softened, in fact, she blushed at the sound of a cultured male voice. Its owner came shortly. He was a tall man with short immaculate brown hair and a blue military coat that matched his eyes.   
  
"Well, I'm certainly glad that our guests of honor are here safe and sound," he said.   
  
Maggie heard Julie gasp and looked at her friends. Bridget looked like she was going to faint from shock and Julie was giving him a death-glare that would kill an ordinary human. The man looked at Bridget and, after grabbing her arm, helped her up as if he was afraid she was going to faint.   
  
"My dear girl, whatever is the matter?" he asked.   
  
Bridget looked at him weakly "I thought you two had died... or at least that's what it looked like."   
  
The man looked shocked. "How did you know that?" he demanded as he took hold of both her arms and spun her so that she faced him.   
  
"Well, duh," Bridget said... still in shock or else she wouldn't be pushing her luck so much... "I watch Gundam Wing everyday. You're Trieze Khushrenada and that's your mercenary, Lady Une."  
  
  
^The G.W. boys hideout.^  
  
Heero Yuy sat near his Gundam, watching the antics with an internal smile that didn't even threaten to break loose. Duo had called Wufei Wu-man again and was now promptly running for dear life as Wufei chased him with a long sword he'd found in Quatre's arsenal.   
  
"Hey Wu-man I was just joking... calm down, will ya?" Duo screamed after his tenth lap around Heero's Gundam.   
  
"You will die, baka! Get back here, you weak onna, and face me like a real man."   
  
"Here we go again," Quatre said as he shook his head. Even Quatre couldn't keep them from fighting, though it wasn't from lack of trying.   
  
Trowa watched the scene for a moment... then picked up a stick, did one of his flips, and close lined Wufei as he landed.   
  
He grabbed the sword and threw it, and, without looking up, Quatre caught it.   
  
"INJUSTICE!" Wufei screamed. "All I wanted to do was kill Maxwell, you all should be thanking me."   
  
"Hey!" Duo shouted with a hurt look on his face. Quatre returned from hiding the sword, saw Duo pouting next to Heero, and sighed.   
  
"What did you say to him, Wufei?"   
  
Wufei looked up with an irritated look on his face. "Why do you think I said something?" Wufei asked.   
  
Before anyone could answer they heard Heero's Gundam set off the alarm of having a message.   
  
"Thank God." Heero whispered as he climbed into his Gundam and flipped the switch.   
  
"We have a retrieval mission," he began. "We have to go to section 53333370... to the military base around colony 1007-1... and Duo, Trowa and I will go and get whatever is in this one room and the data on it. Quatre and Wufei are on distraction. Clear?"   
  
When the others nodded he smiled slightly and said, "Mission accepted."  
  
Duo shook his head. "Does he always have to get that psychopathic smile on his face and say 'mission accepted' at the thought of blowing things and people up?"   
  
  
*629-G4W6990*  
  
Treize looked shocked for a moment, then smiled. "This on shouldn't give you too much trouble, Lady Une," he said, and shoved Bridget into the woman's iron grip.   
  
"Hey, no one beats up on her but ME!" Maggie cried as she and Julie got up.   
  
"Maggie, Maggie. We're in the Gundam universe and we're with the BAD GUYS," Julie said as she restrained an irate Maggie. Maggie looked around uncomprehendingly for a moment and she forced herself to remember back to when Bridget had come into school with pictures she'd drawn of the Gundam characters.  
  
Suddenly her eyes widened and she pointed to Lady Une. "Yeah, she's the chick with the gun who's always killin' people."   
  
Suddenly Lady Une's gun was at Bridget's head. She smiled evilly, "That's right. Now be nice or else she might become one of those people."   
  
Bridget stomped on Lady Une's foot, causing her to both howl and drop the gun (thank God for high heeled boots), which Bridget caught. A soldier aimed the gun at Bridget and BANG! The gun flew out of his hand as the pain from the bullet that had skimmed his hand hit him full force.   
  
"Br....Br...Bridget?" Maggie said weakly as she looked at her pacifist friend with a shocked expression.   
  
"What?" Bridget said as she stood in front of her friends in an FBI stance, gun in hands.   
  
"But you suck at shooting in video games." Julie said with an expression that mirrored Maggie's. Bridget rolled her eyes.   
  
"Video games are totally different from real life shooting. Besides, my grandfather took me to target ranges before he died."   
  
"No he didn't." Maggie said. "He died before you were born....."   
  
"Who cares at this point?" Bridget said as she turned to look at her friends. As soon as her back was turned Trieze hit her the back with the butt of his gun. Bridget dropped the gun and stumbled onto her knees.   
  
"That was not cool." Bridget said weakly as she was helped up.   
  
  
"Can you take it from here, Lady Une?" Treize asked. She nodded, a slightly embarrassed expression on her face.   
  
Trieze nodded at her. "Under your influence they should become wonderful solders."  
  
Lady Une nodded. She and Trieze held glances for a little longer, then he left.   
  
"Take them away. I'll stay with her," Lady Une said as she pointed to Bridget.  
  
  
^ Gundam boys^  
  
Duo jumped into his Gundam. "Shingami is back from hell!" he screamed as he turned on DeathScythe. "Duo here, and ready to rock and roll. Yeeeehaaa!"  
  
Trowa smirked in spite of himself. "Trowa here, I hope that no one's expecting ME to scream like an idiot."   
  
Quatre's laughter was heard over the comm unit. "Quatre here... come on, Trowa, give us a war cry."   
  
Heero frowned at his comrades' easy behavior right before a mission. "Heero here... and if your screaming gets us caught... OMAE O KOROSU!"  
  
"Thank Buddha someone ELSE here has a brain. Wufei here."   
  
Duo snickered. "Aw, Wu-man, just think: if we get caught, then you and I could be cell buddies!"   
  
"Maxwell, I WILL kill you someday. AND DON'T CALL ME WU-MAN, YOU WEAKLING!" Wufei growled into the comm.  
  
"Please, don't start fighting before a mission." Quatre pleaded.   
  
"Aw, let them fight, it's entertaining." Heero said.   
  
Duo's shocked voice came over the comm, "Did Heero just say something that wasn't a threat? It's gonna snow in space!"   
  
"Where did you hear a stupid expression like that?" Wufei asked.   
  
"Joe Mamma!" was Duo's response.  
  
"What about my mother?!" Wufei screamed.  
  
Duo sounded confused. "I didn't say ANYTHING about your mother. My chop dealer Joe used to say that all the time."   
  
Wufei groaned while the others laughed and Heero actually looked amused.   
  
"Trust your stupidity to get me embarrassed, Maxwell," said Wufei.   
  
  
~*~ OZ Headquarters ~*~  
  
The first thing Une had done was separate the girls. They were dangerous together. After careful scrutiny, Une had realized that two of them seemed utterly too knowledgeable about herself, Trieze, and the entire OZ organization.   
The other one seemed to have no idea who any of them were, but was fighting them all the same, following the lead of her two friends.   
  
~They will make good soldiers, after they are effectively brainwashed,~ she though with a smirk.   
  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Take the weapon."  
  
"No."   
  
"TAKE the WEAPON."  
  
Maggie stared back at Une coldly. "NO."   
  
Une pulled her gun and pushed it roughly against the skin of Maggie's forehead.   
  
"Take it," she said, referring to the sword in her other hand.  
  
Maggie's eyes did not change a particle as she responded just as coolly, "No."   
  
Une swiftly holstered the gun, threw the sword, and strode from the room, slapping the locking mechanism as she went.   
  
~THAT one is QUITE annoying,~ fumed Une as she stalked down the hall, fists balled.  
  
"Having trouble with your 'new recruits?'" asked a deep, sneering voice from a recess in the hall.   
  
"None of your business, Zechs," she spat between clenched teeth.   
  
"Ah, temper, temper," he said, stepping out of the shadows, florescent light glinting off of his head mask. "It's a shame, really," he added casually. "They looked quite capable, from what I saw of two of them. You really shouldn't be in charge of this, Une. You don't have the finesse."  
  
"I AM in ch-" started Une before Treize's voice echoed down the hallway.   
  
"I believe Zechs has a point, Lady Une."   
  
"But your Excellency!-"  
  
Treize smiled indulgently at her. "For the time being, we need the girls to feel comfortable around us, not scared. Once we win them over, you may take over their training. Zechs," he turned to the tall warrior, "the ladies have been moved to the Zero-G room, for safety purposes. Come, I'll show you your new apprentices."   
  
Zechs could not resist shooting a triumphant look at Une as he passed, and it took all of her restraint not to finish him, then and there... although she also felt like sticking her tongue out at him, as if she were a child.   
  
By the time Une got to the Zero-G room, Zechs was not there. Before she could even open her mouth, Treize stated, "I sent Zechs to settle a dispute. He'll be here shortly."  
  
~*~*~  
  
"B?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Where the hell are we?"  
  
"I'm assuming OZ still, but..." Bridget shrugged elegantly.   
  
Maggie floated in a corner silently, then noticed a small panel nearby and decided to investigate. She pushed herself over, examining the switches and wires carefully... and almost had a heart attack as the opaque wall in front of her became transparent, revealing a smiling Treize and a stone faced Une.  
  
"Ahhh!" shouted Julie. Bridget immediately came over to see what was wrong. Treize waved at them.   
  
Julie waved back, flipping him off all the while. "Jerk," she muttered angrily. Une was glaring at them, but they were spared by the entrance of a solitary figure to the observation room.   
  
"What the hell?"   
  
"I though Zechs was a GOOD guy now."  
  
"I'm not sure HE knows whose sides he's on, most of the time."  
  
"Hello? GW defecient person here? Gonna help me, or leave me in the dark?" asked Maggie wearily.  
  
"Zechs Marquise, also known as Miliardo Peacecraft..." Bridget was off, but her voice trailed away as Julie cackled, "Hehe.... trouble in paradise!"   
  
It appeared that Zechs was shouting at the top of his lungs in the middle of a heated argument with Treize. He pointed at Bridget, then snatched off his mask and hurled it to the floor in front of Treize. He turned to look at the three girls. They were surprised to see shock, pity, and tears in his eyes. Suddenly an alarm went off. Treize and Lady Une left immediately, leaving Zech behind, locked in uncertainty. He looked at the mask, sighed, and replaced it, leaving the small observatory.   
  
"Wonder what the commotion is?" asked Julie as the wall opaqued again and Maggie went back to her inspection of that panel.   
  
"Ah-HA!" she said, slapping two different panels at the same time.   
  
The three girls fell to the ground, Maggie on her feet because she was ready for it, the other two in a heap.   
  
"Thanks for the warning, Maggie," said Julie with a groan.  
  
"Hey, I don't need to tell you that I'm restoring gravitational pull if I don't want to."   
  
Julie gave Maggie a shove, Maggie shoved back, Julie stumbled into Bridget, and Bridget, in bracing her fall against the wall, slapped a hidden panel, and gaped in amazement as a section of the wall slid away, revealing a formidable arsenal.  
  
"A Falcon 2!" Maggie squealed. Then her eyes grew wide with happiness. "Oh. My. God."   
  
"What?" asked Bridget, dreading the answer as Maggie started to examine another gun.  
  
"It IS! It's a ZMG!"  
  
~*~*~  
  
Heero dropped down silently from the hole he had made in the ceiling, looked around, then motioned for Duo and Trowa to follow. Duo whistled under his breath as he took in the surroundings of the plush lounge they had ended up in. "Nice digs," he muttered admirably.   
  
"Shh!"   
  
"Jeez, Heero, sooorry."  
  
"Oh, stop it, you two!" said Trowa quietly, glaring at them quite uncustomarily. "I swear, you get worse every day! Let's just find what we need to and go, ok?"  
  
"Fine by me," said Duo, heading out. Heero unholstered his gun and followed. They soon reached a computer output terminal and Heero took control.   
  
"Hmm... seems that there are a total of five things in that room. Odd. A hidden arsenal, a terminal like this... and three prisoners."  
  
"Prisoners? They wouldn't happen to be... CHICKS... would they?" asked Duo eagerly.   
  
"As a matter of fact, they would," said Heero. "All of them. Deemed highly dangerous to OZ BY OZ... almost as dangerous as we are."  
  
"Really. Seems like they are our retrieval, then, doesn't it?" said Trowa calmly.  
  
"But that..."  
  
".. is SO cool!" said Duo, eyes glinting. "Anyone who is listed as almost as dangerous as us in... how long they been here?"  
  
"They've been in lock up just under a half hour."   
  
Duo whistled again. "Yup. They definitely have to be cool. And, hey; Three girls, three gu- oh, wait, I forgot that Kamikaze boy over there is committed."   
  
"Maxwell, you are treading on very thin ground," growled Heero.   
  
"You tell me that every day, Yuy, and I'm still breathing," Duo said, undaunted.   
  
Then they realized that Trowa was halfway down the hall.   
  
"I'm going to complete our mission if anyone cares to join me," he called back softly over his shoulder. Heero cursed and closed down the terminal, following after an excited Duo.   
  
~*~*~  
Maggie's eyes lit up as she spotted a computer and sat down swiftly, taking the gun she had been examining with her.   
  
"What are you doing?"   
  
"Playing!" she said happily, hands flying over the keys.   
  
"What?" Bridget came over and her eyes grew very wide.   
  
"J-Jules..."  
  
"What, B?" the girl asked impatiently.   
  
"She HACKING into the MAINFRAME!"  
  
"She's WHAT?" Julie jumped up, impatience forgotten. They stared in fascination as Maggie typed, humming "Party Up" by DMX all the while.  
  
"Security... unlock! Password? Plleeaase." She typed a few more things and reached another wall. "Ah- HA. Bingo. OZ files.... new prisoners... last two weeks, week, three days, day, twelve hours, hour, half hour... Gotcha!" Then she hissed between her teeth as she looked at the pull-up of the floor plan. "Someone's coming. THREE someone's." She got out of the chair and aimed the gun at the door. The other girls glared at it, as if daring the intruders to come in.   
  
~*~*~  
  
"Prison Lock number 252621... Yup, this is it." As Heero hacked the handle and pulled the door open, a hiss of depressed air sounded, and the guys were surprised to see a girl with narrowed eyes aiming a gun at them.   
  
"Maggie, those are the good guys," said Bridget soothingly to the girl shooting death glares at the three guys coming in.   
  
"Are you sure?" she growled, still holding the gun.  
  
"Extremely," said Julie, trying not to smirk as she realized that Trowa was one of them... and was staring at Maggie with wide eyes.   
  
"Fine," she said, lowering the gun and throwing it to the side... but not too far.  
  
"Who're you?" asked one curiously, almost bouncing.  
  
~The love-child of crack and 'shrooms,~ thought Maggie at first with amusement. Second thought: ~Julie as a guy.~   
  
She covered her mouth with a hand, trying to stifle a giggle.   
  
"I'm Bridget, this is Julie, and the gun-happy one is Maggie," said Bridget, raising her eyebrows at Julie.  
  
"Right, and we are apparently deemed dangerous by Zechs and Une, so, it'd be nice to get out of here," Julie said.   
  
"How di- DO you know we're not dangerous?" asked one with bangs that seemed to 'defy gravity' as Julie put it.   
  
"Oh, we know a lot, Trowa Barton."  
  
He gaped at her.   
  
"Excuse me?" said the one who hadn't spoken yet.   
  
"What, I wasn't aware that you were deaf, Heero Yuy."   
  
"Now this is getting out of hand! How the HELL do you know us?"  
  
Maggie knew that they would have to come up with an excuse fast, and her eyes lighted on the computer that she had been using to hack into the mainframe.   
  
She put on a cool expression and leaned against the door. "Yeah, well, you're not the only one who can be a hacker," she said to Heero.   
  
He frowned (when DOESN'T he?) until he followed her line of sight. He moved over to the computer and sat down. Then he looked up swiftly at the girl. "You did this?"  
  
"Maybe," she said, just as Julie and Bridget chorused, "YEP!"  
  
Duo cackled, "Man, even you haven't been able to get this far into the OZ mainframe... and not from lack of trying!"  
  
Maggie rolled her eyes, then laughed as Bridget tripped once again over the hem of her gown, the very annoying ones that a conniving Une had made them wear, constricting their movement.   
  
"Jeez! Whoever made these things should be drug out into the street and shot!" she complained.   
  
Maggie and Julie exchanged wicked looks, and Julie pulled something from her bra. As she threw it toward Maggie, she grabbed Bridget's arms.   
  
Maggie calmly snatched it out of the air and flicked the switchblade open, running it across her palm and drawing a thin line of blood. Duo blinked as Maggie nodded her approval. "Sharp enough. I suppose it'll do, Jules, but didn't I TELL you to sharpen it?"  
  
"I FORGOT!" she whined. Bridget's eyes widened, and she started to struggle.   
  
"Now, now, B, you know that if you struggle that knife'll go right through you, right?" said Julie, tightening her grip.   
  
" Besides, I doubt you can run for your life tripping every five seconds," Maggie added, moving close and resting the knife lightly on her shin.   
  
"Nope, not good enough," laughed Julie.   
  
Maggie raised it above her knee. "Here?"  
  
"Nooooo....."  
  
Halfway up the thigh. "GOOD!"   
  
"No, do-!" Slash. "Oh my God, you are SO dead!"   
  
Bridget was now in a miniskirt with slits. Maggie moved up to the neckline, which was around her neck. "Tsk, tsk. How are you expected to breathe in this?"   
  
Slash. Now it was a deep neckline.   
  
Maggie turned the knife on herself, but only started two cuts. Then she tossed the knife back to its owner and started in on ripping the fabric.   
  
"Did you HAVE to make me into a slut, too?" wailed Bridget.  
  
Julie wagged her head rapidly. "Uh-huh, uh-huh!"   
  
Bridget sighed, then looked at the high heels she was in. They would have to go. She kicked them off.   
  
"Now you REALLY look like a..." Maggie started to giggle.  
  
"Yeah, but now... I can run!"   
  
She started at Maggie, who started running backwards, easily out-distancing her.   
  
"Oh, Jesus. They NEVER should have given you drugs," she said, turning around to run face front. Bridget (purposely) chased her behind Trowa.   
  
"Be nice," she mocked from behind him, sticking her tongue out at the sulking Bridget.   
  
Bridget suddenly plopped down on the floor, all rage gone, face serene.   
  
"B? You.. ok?" asked Maggie, warily approaching her. She sat down tentatively.   
  
Bridget reached over and, in one swift move, smacked Maggie across the back of the head. "Owwww!"   
  
"Now I am!" she giggled.   
  
"Are you finished?" asked Heero testily.   
  
Maggie frowned at him. "And what if we aren't?" she asked mildly, trying to keep her anger in check... for once.  
  
Bridget sighed and turned away from them, eye catching immediately on Julie, who was examining with great interest what she thought was Play-Doh.   
  
"Don't touch that, Jules!"   
  
"Touch what?" Her hand was hovering over the gray putty.   
  
"THAT! Do you know what that IS?"  
  
"Clay?"  
  
"No, it's C-4... a powerful explosive?!"  
  
"Oh... wait a sec, HOW powerful?"  
  
"Powerful enough to... to blow out a wall!"   
  
Julie eyed first the explosives, then the wall, and grinned. "Perfect."   
  
"Perfect for WHAT?"  
  
"Perfect to pull a Heero," she muttered under her breath loud enough for Duo to hear before striding away.   
  
~A Heero?~ he thought, confused.   
  
"A He- A WHAT? You can't DO that!" Bridget yelled at her back as she scurried after her friend, not realizing that the other two were still watching Maggie and Heero fight... and laying bets.   
  
"Maggie's going down," said Trowa, eyes bright.   
  
"Yeah, right," snorted Duo. "You see her reflexes, man? Heero may be good with a gun and his Gundam, but she'll kick his ass, if it comes to that."  
  
"It will, eventually, and when it does, you're gonna be owing me some money, Maxwell."   
  
"You wish, Bart-" Both arguments were cut off by a huge explosion.   
  
They all exchanged startled looks, and Maggie started running. "You'd think I'd KNOW better by now than to leave them alone for more than ten seconds!" she moaned, taking off.   
  
As the boys hurried after her, they heard very faintly, "What do plane hoppers say before they jump, B?"  
  
"Geronimo?"  
  
"Yeah, that's it! Arrividerchi!" They heard a scream that sounded a lot like 'witch...' but they sincerely doubted it. The scream got fainter, and finally died away completely.   
  
As they burst in, Julie turned to face them. "And Julie is attempting a double turn with a half circle back tuck complete with her famous last words: BONZAI!"   
  
She leapt out the hole the C-4 had made in the side of the building.   
  
"Shit!" said Duo as he put two and two together. "THAT's what she meant by a Heero! Those crazy bitches are jumping without parachutes!"   
  
"Hey, no one calls them bitches but ME," said Maggie absently, biting her lip.   
  
"NOW what?" asked Trowa.  
  
"We let them go," said Heero, not changing his expression.   
  
"WHAT? We let them GO?" shrieked Maggie. "We can't let them go!"   
  
"Oh yes we can, cause they're fine!" shouted Duo in disbelief.   
  
"What?" asked Heero, running to peer over the edge in anger. Sure enough, there they stood on the edge of the cliff, Bridget waving her arms at Julie angrily, then apparently collapsing to her knees.  
  
Quatre finished off the last mobile and looked over in time to see two things:  
  
A) Wufei was gone, off chasing Zechs.   
B) Of the two girls that had just jumped out of that building, one had collapsed.   
  
"Crap," he muttered softly before powering down his Gundam. He clambered out and moved to help the other girl pick the faint one up. Finally Maggie and the other three got down, and Maggie quickly moved to help B to her feet, shoving Julie out of the way.   
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
"I would be, if some psychopath didn't just SHOVE ME OUT OF HOLE TWENTY STORIES ABOVE GROUND!"   
  
"Aww, quit whining. Look, Bridget...." Julie started to cackle at the sight of Kat.   
  
"Shut... her... up..." said Bridget to Maggie. Maggie nodded, then pulled the gun she had scooped up. Julie let out a squeak and hid behind Duo quickly.   
  
"Save me," she begged.   
  
"What? From HER?"  
  
Maggie shifted her aim from Julie and onto Duo's hat. One precise shot, and the hat was lying on the floor, hole through the brim cleanly.   
  
"From me," she said calmly, putting the gun away.   
  
Duo looked at Maggie, mouthing soundlessly.  
  
"Are you done being a bad ass now, Miss Maggie?" asked Bridget calmly, surveying the whole scene.   
  
"Yeah, I think so."   
  
"Good. Now maybe we can figure out how the HELL we are getting out of here."  
  
"Shit."   
  
"Yup. My sentiments exactly."  
  
Julie started to sing. "Hitchin' a ride."  
  
"Julie."  
  
"Ride, ride, ride..."  
  
"Julie!"   
  
"Hitchin' a ride..."  
  
"JULIE!"   
  
She paused. "Huh?"   
  
"We are at OZ Headquarters, with the GUNDAMS, and YOU ARE CALLING ATTENTION TO US!?" Bridget fairly screamed under her breath.   
  
Julie had the grace to look embarrassed. "Oops?" she offered tentatively.   
  
"Oops? OOPS?"  
  
"Bridget, chill, please, I'm getting a migraine." Maggie rubbed her forehead wearily. Then she smiled as an idea came to her. "Just how big is a Gundam cockpit?" she asked, the grin growing steadily. Bridget caught on.   
  
"Oh, I don't know," she said casually, grabbing Maggie's shoulder as she almost toppled over. It was slight, though, and the others didn't catch that.   
  
Duo caught on to Maggie's idea, though, and reached over to grab Julie's wrist with one hand. He lifted her off of the ground experimentally. "Hmmm... you guys are WAY too light," he said over Julie's shrieks. "I'm sure we can fit two in a Gundam, if we squeeze a bit."  
  
"No one touches my mobile suit, much less goes IN it," said Heero, glaring.   
  
Maggie was about to retort when Bridget stumbled again, more noticeably. Maggie quickly helped her to her feet, Kat holding her other arm.   
  
"Bridget!"  
  
"I'm...fine..." she muttered, trying to stand upright.  
  
"Uh-uh. Ain't happenin'," said Maggie firmly, draping Bridget's arm around her shoulder. "You should have told me that you weren't feeling well!"   
  
"It wasn't exactly the most important thing on our agenda," Bridget said, trying to put fire in her voice.  
  
"That's always the most important thing... oh, my God!" Maggie hissed as her helping hand encountered a spreading wet blood stain on the back of Bridget's outfit.   
  
"Julie. Knife," Maggie barked. Maggie cut the back a little to reveal a gaping wound.   
  
"That BASTARD," she snarled, before turning to the Gundams. "If one of you have any form of first aid materials at ALL, they would be REALLY helpful right about now."   
  
"If you can hold her over, I have a full medical staff at my estate," said Quatre helpfully.   
  
"Good. Quatre, give me your vest."  
  
"My vest?"  
  
"YES, your vest."  
  
He handed it over. "Thanks." Maggie cut it to ribbons and quickly tied them together, making a makeshift bandage that she tied around Brigdet's waist.  
  
"Kat, take Bridget and go to the estate. I'll take Julie; Trowa, take Maggie; Wing, HeavyArms, and DeathScythe will cover your exit and meet you there," said Duo seriously.   
  
"Got it."   
  
"Awesome!" they heard Julie squeal with delight.   
  
"What's she so excited about?" Trowa asked Maggie curiously.   
  
"Oh, nothing... just the chance to blow stuff up, that's all. Mobile dolls don't prey on her conscience, I'm guessing."  
  
"They don't prey on anyone's conscience," Trowa said darkly, then activated the door to HeavyArms.   
  
"After you," said Maggie, grinning. "Then you can help me get up there, cause at this point I don't see it happening."  
  
Trowa said nothing; he merely jumped into his Gundam.   
  
"Now I KNOW I'm no-" Maggie was abruptly cut off as Trowa reached down, grabbed her wrist, and hauled her unceremoniously up to the cockpit.   
  
"Oh, THANK you, Trowa, like I really needed that?"   
  
"Actual-"   
  
"DON'T answer that," she cut him off.   
  
  
Julie, on the other hand, was bouncing with impatience to get going.   
  
"Ok, ok, chill!" laughed Duo as he opened the hatch.   
  
"I can't!" Julie giggled as she watched Duo climb up. "Hey, wait for ME!"  
  
"So, how do you fly this thing?" asked Julie as Duo got settled in.   
  
"C'mere, I'll show ya, we gotta get movin!"   
  
Duo made a gesturing motion with his hands; Julie plopped down on his lap carelessly.   
  
"Owww!"   
  
"Baby," Julie mocked, making a face.  
  
"DeathScythe, this is Wing... Duo, stop screwing around, we have work to do," came Heero's stern voice.  
  
Duo winked at Julie and mouthed, "Watch this."  
  
"Hey," he said aloud, defensively, to Heero. "Just because your cockpit's a little lonely doesn't mean you can take it out on us!"  
  
"Max-"   
  
"This is HeavyArms. Maggie has something to say..."  
  
"Yo, you two! Quit ya bickerin, let's start dat diversion 'fore Bridget gets beyond help!" Maggie barked, her voice and words clipped.  
  
Trowa came back on, laughing. "You heard the lady, gentlemen."  
  
"Lady? All I heard was a certain midget bitch," said Julie.  
  
"Well, we can dispute that later, I'm sure." Maggie's voice dripped with sarcasm. Too late.   
  
"Mi-midget bitch?" gasped Duo between fits of laughter.  
  
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"   
  
"Uh-oh," came a very weak voice from SandRock, "now you've done it."   
  
"Maggie..."   
  
"NO! I..." Suddenly the screaming stopped.   
  
"Let's go," said Trowa, voice oddly cool.   
  
"WHOOOOOOOO!" screamed Duo and Julie together before laughing again.   
  
  
While the others may have been spared Maggie's ranting, Trowa himself was not. Which was quite quite unfortunate, considering...  
  
A) the size of the cockpit  
  
B) Maggie's decibile range  
  
C) the size of Maggie's mouth  
  
"When I.... wish they were NEVER... damn..." Maggie was literally shaking with rage.  
  
"Maggie?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Can we save threats/ insults for later, please?"  
  
"Sure," she said amiably, quickly switching modes.   
  
Suddenly there was a flash of green from the direction of DeathScythe, and there was only metal confetti where three mobiles had previously been.   
  
"Nice swipe, Duo!" said Trowa distractedly.   
  
"Thanks, pal, but that wasn't me!" Duo sounded both astonished and proud.   
  
Maggie leaned forward. "You're LETTING HER CONTROL THE SCYTHE?!"  
  
"Sure. Why not?" They could hear the shrug in his voice, and Maggie put her head in her hands. Trowa would have followed suit, but that would have involved taking his hands off of the controls.   
  
"Ok, guys, we're clear," said Quatre, thankfully interrupting.   
  
"Got it, Quatre. How's the girl?" asked Heero.   
  
"I'm hanging in there," Bridget answered herself, weakly.   
  
"Kat, make her rest," ordered Maggie.  
  
"Yes, ma'am," he said with a slightly teasing tone. "Any other instructions?"  
  
"Yeah," spoke up Julie," no strenuous activity!" She and Duo started laughing, and Maggie quickly intervened.   
  
"Quatre, get out of here before I'm forced to kill Julie. Meet you back at your estate."   
  
Trowa leaned over and quickly shut off the comm to DeathScythe, leaving only the silence of Wing.   
  
"You know," said Heero, breaking hs self imposed vow of silence, "those two have got to be the match made in hell."   
  
"Oh, so you've noticed, too?" asked Maggie casually. "I give them a week before we have to start separating them constantly."  
  
"Separating them?"   
  
"Yeah, cause they'll be sucking face every chance they get."   
  



	2. Saving B

Halfway to Quatre's estate, Bridget passed out. Kat kept one worried eye on her, and the other concentrating on getting back before it was too late.   
  
He shut down his Gundam, unbuckled them, and carefully lifted Bridget into his arms.   
  
"Rashid!"   
  
The tall man came hurrying forward. "Master Quatre, I wish you would tell us when you..."  
  
His voice trailed off as he noticed the barely breathing girl in his Master's arms.   
  
"Who is this girl?" he asked, falling into step with Kat.   
  
"Our mission," said Kat dryly. "Call Dr. Bayth, Rashid, please. Send her up as soon as she gets here."   
  
"Yes, but... what has happened to her?"   
  
"Treize had two others girls and this one locked up, trying to brainwash them and make them into OZ soldiers. I don't know why, but apparently, they beat up on them when they refused. They... they seem to know a lot about this universe, Rashid... knowledge I would think was limited to the Gundam pilots, Treize, Une, Noin, Sally, Zechs, and yourself. Now, go call Dr. Bayth!"   
  
Rashid hurried off, brow furrowed.   
  
Quatre carried Bridget upstairs, needing the privacy of his own room for the doctor to examine her. Dr. Bayth arrived five minutes later, and quickly shooed Quatre out after asking a few questions and asking for a nightgown for the girl.   
  
Quarte made his way to his sisters' closets, and quickly removed one of the uniform white nightgowns they all wore. He knocked ever so gently on his door, and was rewarded with the doctor's hand beckoning for the nightgown and the sound of running water.   
  
Dr. Bayth left the room a few minutes later, closing the door over silently.   
  
"Master Winner," she began," your mystery lady is fine. She is asleep, and all cleaned up and bandaged. She will probably stay asleep for an hour or so."  
  
"Thank you, Dr. Bayth. Come, I'll get your fee."  
  
"No, no, Quatre. This one's on the house," she said kindly. Jasmine Bayth was almost a mother to Quatre, and she could never take money from him for an act of kindness.   
  
"Thank you."   
  
"You're quite welcome. Now, when she wakes up, give her these pills, and make sure she eats something."   
  
"Sure thing."   
  
"Bye, Quatre."  
  
"Bye, Dr. Bayth."  
  
After the doctor left, Kat took a deep breath and opened his door to see Bridget sleeping somewhat peacefully on her stomach in his bed. He smiled, then moved to change his bloodied shirt. When he got back, he took out a book, sat in a nearby chair, and began his watch.  
  
  
~Where am I?" ~ thought Bridget groggily as she stirred back to consciousness. ~The last thing I remember is fighting with Mag- oh, shit!~ She suddenly remembered much more, and realized she was in a bed. ~It was just a dream,~ she thought with a pang of disappointment... then she opened her eyes to see Quatre fast asleep in the chair next to the bed.   
  
~Oh my God, I'm in his bed, in a nightgown! Why?~ Then she tried to get up, and her wound answered her. She fell back with a slight yelp.  
  
~Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.~   
  
At her movement, Kat's eyes opened, and he said hurriedly, "Miss Bridget, don't try to move."  
  
"Just Bridget is fine, Master Quatre," she joked weakly.   
  
"Alright then," he said, "but it's Kat."   
  
"Yeah, I know."  
  
"How do you feel?"  
  
"Like I was hit by a truck whose license plate reads, 'Treize's Gun.'"  
  
Kat chuckled. "You're not that far off. You've been through a lot... I'd say even Heero would be impressed. Here, I was ordered by the doctor to give you these," he stated, extending his hand to give her the pills.   
  
"Thanks. Can I have something to drink, so that I can take them?"  
  
"Water ok?"  
  
"Fine, thank you."   
  
Kat disappeared for a few minutes, then returned with a glass of water.   
  
"Here you go."  
  
"Thank you, Quatre... for everything," she said softly after downing the pills, grimacing as they went down.   
  
"I haven't done anything, Mi... Bridget. Where did you come from, that OZ hates you so?" he asked gently. Bridget sat up gingerly, not leaning her back against anything.   
She smiled and started to tell him about her life, and did ok until the realization hit her that she might never see any of these people or places again. The more she though of this, the more upset she became, and suddenly she began to cry.   
  
Kat looked alarmed. He asked gently, "What's wrong? That all sounds wonderful!"   
  
"It is.... it was..." Bridget sobbed, " It's just the thought of never seeing it again..."   
  
Kat suddenly understood, and sat, undecided. He hardly knew the girl, but his heart wrenched at the sight of her crying so bitterly. He knew words were meaningless at this point, so he very tentatively drew her into a hug, carefully avoiding the wound on her back.   
  
Bridget melted against him, crying into his shirt.   
  
"It's ok," he said softly, trying to soothe her. His hand went up to gently stroke her hair. "Let it all out."   
  
Inwardly he was cursing OZ. ~ Why would they do this to these poor girls? What have they done?~  
  
Bridget cried for a few minutes, then stopped, sniffling. "Oh, I've got your shirt all wet," she choked out, "and here I am, acting all selfish and ungrateful, while all you've done is help us... help ME..."  
  
Quatre was shocked. "Oh, no! I'm glad that you chose me to confide in, that you chose to confide in someone at all. It can't be good to hold all that in. I'm sorry about what's been done to you, and we're not going to let anything happen to you... I'M not going to let anything happen to you!"   
  
He looked quite fierce during this statement, and, at the sight of Bridget's faint blush, he realized what he had just said and became very embarrassed.   
  
"I know I'll be safe, then," Bridget answered softly.   
  
Kat looked at her in surprise, but the sound of sudden footsteps cut off any chance of a reply. Maggie stuck her head in the room. She shot a significant look at the two on the bed, then closed the door quietly. They took the hint: Bridget scrubbing her face, Kat moving back to the chair beside her.   
  
About ten seconds later, Julie barreled through the door, landing on the bed with a bounce. "Hey, B!"   
  
"Julie, you idiot, you don't go jumping on the bed of an injured person!" Maggie scolded as she entered, the other Gundam pilots in tow.   
  
Julie went to open her mouth, then seemed to suddenly realize something, because her smile grew quite wicked. "Br-"   
  
Heero cleared his throat and said, "Guys, maybe we should try to find out just what OZ knows and/ or wants with the girls."  
  
Duo, his smile mirroring Julie's, started to whine, "Aww, but Heero..."  
  
Trowa reached over and grabbed the back of Duo's shirt. "NOW, Duo."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on, Quatre."   
  
The boys all left, and, as soon as the door clicked shut, Julie pounced.   
  
"What happened?"  
  
Bridget flushed angrily. "Nothing 'happened!'"   
  
"Suuuuurrrrreeeee...."  
  
"No! When I woke up, I was here, and Kat was asleep. He gave me the medicine the doctor left for me, and we talked for a little bit. That's ALL."  
  
"Oh," said Julie, looking quite disappointed. And that was that.   
  
Quatre, on the other hand, was having a harder time with Duo.   
  
"Quatre... buddy... PAL..."  
  
Kat gulped. "What?"  
  
Duo flung his arm around Kat's shoulders in a friendly gesture... then, in one swift move, shoved him into a chair.   
  
"What happened?"   
  
Kat looked confused for a moment, then flushed. "Nothing."  
  
"Suuurrrrreeee..." Duo drawled.   
  
"Honestly. She passed out, so I brought her in, called Rashid to get Dr. Bayth, and brought her upstairs..."  
  
"To your BEDROOM. More precisely, to your BED."  
  
"Oh, yeah, Duo," said Trowa sarcastically, "he was going to put her on the floor."   
  
Ignoring Trowa, Duo turned back to Kat and said, "Well, does the defense rest?"  
  
"No. I got a nightgown from my sisters' closet, gave it to DR. BAYTH to put on her, then waited outside. Once she was sleeping, I went in to make sure she was ok."  
  
"What about when she woke up?" asked Duo suspiciously, making one last effort to make Kat 'guilty.'  
  
"She started telling me about her life, and I guess the shock got to be too much for her, because she started to cry. I gave her a hug, then you guys came up. End of story. She was really upset."  
  
"She's a woman. What did you EXPECT?" asked Wufei, coming all the way inside the door.   
  
Kat worked to restrain himself from snapping at Wufei, but Trowa has no such restraint.   
  
"You weren't even there. You have no idea what they've gone through this past week." The edge in Trowa's voice made Wufei wince involuntarily.   
  
"Hey, Trowa, what are YOU so worked up for?" asked Duo wickedly.   
  
Trowa looked at him. "What?"   
  
"You like HER," whooped Duo.  
  
"No I don't!" snapped Trowa, immediately realizing his mistake.   
  
Heero raised a cynical eyebrow. "Then WHO are you talking about?"   
  
~Shit.~ "No one..." started Trowa when Duo screamed, "YOU LIKE MAGGIE! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! TROWA AND MAGGIE, SITTIN IN A TREE, K I S S-"  
  
"MAXWELL!" roared Trowa, lunging for him.   
  
Still singing at the top of his lungs, Duo ran around the room, and eventually, after several thwarted attempts to leave, dove out the open window and rolled onto the grass. Trowa leapt out after him.   
  
  
Upstairs, Julie stopped in the middle of her sentence and said, "What the hell is THAT?"   
  
Bridget wrenched open the window and Duo's singing floated up to them.   
  
"Get' em, Trowa!" Bridget screamed before Julie could stop her.  
  
Duo screeched to a stop and looked up at her. "Oh, nice to see you too, Bridget," he said sarcastically.   
  
"DDDDUUUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Trowa yelled before tackling his buddy to the hard ground. Julie moved to run downstairs and help, but Maggie quickly restrained her.   
  
"Oh, no. I want to WATCH this," said Maggie with eyes alight. She dragged Julie over to the window and held her there as Duo kept scrambling to escape. Trowa didn't realize Maggie was watching, and started screaming at Duo.   
  
"LISTEN, PAL, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT! YOU ARE SUCH A JACKASS! I DON'T LIKE HER, OK?!"  
  
"Ok," called Maggie from the second story window. Trowa's head shot up, giving Duo ample time to get away.   
  
"Shit."   
  
Maggie reached over and closed the window firmly... and then the three girls dissolved into giggles.   
  



	3. Hackers

A week or two went by, during which the girls acted rather polite and cordial. They realized they were guests in Quatre's home, whether he would admit it or not, ( "Oh, no, you're housemates now!") and they were on full kindness mode after that first eventful day. Of course, mischievous girls can only keep that up so long, and soon, a personal mission of the girls clashed with a mission for the guys...  
  
  
"Hey, guys," said Heero, leaning into the room late one night, when the girls were already in bed, " I got through the final crack codes for the OZ main shield today. I think we should take a look at the girls' profiles."  
  
"Good idea," said Duo, jumping up.  
  
They all made their way upstairs to Heero's laptop, careful to pass the girls' rooms ultra-quietly. Heero booted up and typed furiously, greeted by an interlocking O and a Z: OZ's main screen.   
  
He got almost all the way to the files before a new error message greeted him: Firewalls changed: Please Reconfigure.  
  
"What the..." said Heero with a frown. He typed a few more words, and saw a message come up on the screen.   
  
*Hey, Heero!*   
  
Heero stood up so fast his chair went over backwards. They watched in stunned silence as the message continued:  
  
*Yeah, I know. You're thinking.... who IS this? Well, I'm tired of being a good little girl for these past weeks, sitting there with my hands folded and a cheesy smile plastered on my face. That is NOT my idea of fun, nor is it me. Besides, *smirk* I can't let you find out who we REALLY are, can I? I think not. At this VERY moment, I am altering ALL these things.... and by the end, you won't know WHAT'S true. Oh, well... life's a bitch. Toodles! :P*  
  
Heero lunged back at the computer and typed, *What the HELL do you think you are DOING?!*  
  
*My JOB,* came the cold response from the other side.   
  
"Find. Her," snarled Heero without turning his eyes from the screen.   
  
"We're on it," said Trowa, pulling Kat with him.   
  
"Hey, Trowa, don't you mean on HER?" asked Duo with a snicker.   
  
"SHUT UP, DUO!" came from all sides.   
  
  
"I'll take upstairs," said Kat.   
  
"Good. Check and see which of the girls are missing, I'll take the basement."   
  
"Got it."   
  
  
Trowa made his way carefully down the stairs. Sure enough, he heard the sound of soft typing at the bottom.  
  
Slowly yet surely, he made his silent way down... and tripped, falling down the last three steps. He caught his breath and looked up into the muzzle of a gun.   
  
"Oh, it's you," said Maggie in relief, holstering it swiftly.  
  
"Sleep with that thing?" he asked sarcastically, trying to reorient himself.   
  
"Well, yeah... you know, 'cause guys snore and hog the covers," she said as she moved back to her new iBook.   
  
"A laptop?"   
  
"Hmmm? Oh, what, this?"   
  
"Yeah, that," he said with exasperation.   
  
"Yup. Modem connection, DVD/burn drive... fast enough to make anything Heero's got look like a snail. How is Heero, by the way?" she snickered.   
  
"Throwing a fit worthy of a two year old. It's actually quite amusing. He doesn't know whether to applaud you or rip your head off."  
  
"Yeah, I'd like to see him try." This was the girl Trowa had first met, and he liked this version better.   
  
"I prefer you this way," he said without preamble.   
  
She looked down at herself. "What, in a thin white nightgown?" she joked.   
  
Trowa swallowed. He hadn't noticed that until NOW.   
  
"I meant," he tried to cover up the small silence, "without the sugar sweetness. It's enough to give someone a cavity."   
  
"Yeah," Maggie said with a hint of laughter, "I do, too." Then there was the sound of a printer, and Maggie closed the laptop decisively.   
  
"All done," she announced with a yawn.  
  
Trowa smiled; she looked like a little kid when she did that. She picked up a stuffed bear from the couch, completing the illusion. It seemed old and beaten up, with a frayed bow tie and nappy fur.  
  
"I'm going to bed," she finished, "now that I've had my fun."   
  
"What's printing?" Trowa couldn't help asking.   
  
"Our profil- our TRUE profiles, our lives. The only records in existence now."  
  
"Can I... borrow them?"  
  
"Borrow them? Why?" she asked, truly curious. She handed them to him as she said this... and he decided to have his own fun.  
  
"I need paper to shred for the lion cages."  
  
A look of 99% rage, 1% fury crossed Maggie face, and Trowa started to run, like a good Gundam pilot.   
  
~*~*~  
  
  
"YEAH, YOU BETTER RUN!"   
  
Duo looked at Kat and Wufei with a smile. "Looks like Trowa found Maggie."   
  
The two came tearing up the stairs, Trowa holding onto a folder. He tossed it to Duo just before he was tackled to the ground by Maggie. Duo hauled it to his room.   
  
"What's all the...." started a yawning Julie as she wandered into the room, Bridget behind. Julie stopped in mid yawn, forgetting to close her mouth as she took in the scene before her. "Oh," she grinned. "THAT kind of commotion."   
  
Maggie was screaming in Trowa's face something unintelligible. Julie looked bored.   
  
"Well, Mags, when you're done screwing with poor Trowa, maybe we could all sleep."  
  
Julie's eyes grew wide as she realized that what she had said could be taken a few different ways, and she beat a hasty retreat. Not to her room. Maggie would find her there.   
  
::Knock knock::  
  
Duo got off his bed and opened his door a crack. Julie was standing outside.   
  
"Sanctuary, SANCTUARY..." she whimpered.   
  
Duo chuckled. "What did you do?"  
  
"I'm kinda fearing for my LIFE here, Maxwell," Julie hissed, looking over her shoulder in paranoia.   
  
"Then by all means, come in," he said, opening the door wider.   
  
"Thanks," said Julie, dragging a small stuffed owl with her as she came inside and sat on Duo's bed. He took a seat backwards in his desk chair, tilting it backwards.   
  
"Soooooo..." he said questioningly.   
  
Julie sighed. "I... I kinda INSINUATED that Mags was doing something to Trowa that I shouldn't have, and..."   
  
Julie's eyes grew impossibly wide, and she gave a squeak before leaping off of the bed and diving UNDER it.   
  
"You HAVEN'T seen me," Julie hissed to Duo.   
  
"Ok..." he said, confused until he heard the footsteps rampaging down the hall, and a soft voice trying to reason with someone.   
  
~Maggie.~  
  
His door flew open so hard the doorknob put a dent in the wall.   
  
"WHERE IS SHE, MAX-" Maggie started, then made an 'I'm calm' motion with her hands. "Where is Julie, Duo?" she repeated sweetly. "We need to have a talk."  
  
Duo looked totally surprised... the effect heightened by the fact he had a new hole in his wall.  
  
"I haven't seen her," he said.   
  
"Are you SURE...."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then why is Hootessia on YOUR bed?" asked Maggie, pointedly looking at the stuffed owl Julie had mistakenly left there.   
  
~Shit.~  
  
~Shit.~  
  
Duo though VERY fast. "I took it."  
  
"You... you what?"   
  
"I took it. Problem?" he asked, looking as if he was daring defiance... but actually praying this would work.  
  
"Awwww," said his savior Bridget. "That's so cute."  
  
"It is, act- BRIDGET! WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT OF BED!?" screeched Maggie.  
  
"I've only been following you for the entirety of your rampage," said Bridget.   
  
"Bed. Now," said Maggie, ushering her out. The door swung shut.   
  
After about five minutes, Duo heard from under the bed, "God bless Bridget."   
  
"You can come out now," he said.  
  
"Thanks," she said, crawling out. "Mags should be fine by morning," she said as she dusted herself off. (Yeah, like Duo lets a maid clean his room?)   
  
"Yeah, but she'll most likely be watching your room tonight for you to come back, and she's already checked here, so.... why don't you just stay?"  
  
"Here?"  
  
"Yesssss...."  
  
Julie opened her mouth, closed it, opened it, and said as she flopped onto the bed, "Sure you can... handle it?"  
  
Duo forced a grin. "Yeah.... besides..." he reached out with his foot and gave her a hard shove, sending her to the floor, "You're sleeping on the floor."  
  
"Yeah, ok," she snorted, grabbing his ankle and pulling him off as well as she scrambled to get back up and to a pillow so she could defend herself. She shrieked as he grabbed the other pillow and started his attack.   
  



	4. Freaks, Feathers, and JoyRides

"Good morning, boys," said Maggie through a yawn as she entered the kitchen. Trowa was sitting with his nose in the newspaper, and Kat was at his laptop, drinking his customary cup of tea.   
  
Trowa swallowed nervously and answered, "Good morning, Maggie."   
  
She smiled brightly at him. He had almost flinched as she passed. "I'm not going to hurt you," she said with a cocky grin.   
  
Kat suppressed a chuckle. Maggie turned to watch his reaction as Bridget walked in. He stared for a moment, realized he was staring, blushed, and dropped his eyes hurriedly to the laptop. Maggie and Trowa exchanged amused looks, and they both agreed silently that all was forgiven.   
  
Maggie wandered over to the refrigerator and pulled out the milk. "Have either of you boys seen Julie?" she asked as she poured herself a glass.   
  
"Do you EVER stop drinking milk?" asked Trowa as she downed the glass in one swallow and poured again.   
  
Her only response was, "Mooooooo."  
  
"Anyway," said Kat," no, I haven't seen Julie. Come to think of it, though," his face grew thoughtful, "I haven't seen Duo, eith-"   
  
Maggie shot up off of the stool she was sitting on, tearing for the staircase. Bridget was after her instantly.  
  
The boys sat in stunned astonishment for a moment. Upon hearing hysterical laughter from the direction of Duo's room, they exchanged looks and duplicated the girls' earlier dash for the stairs.  
  
When they got there, Maggie and Bridget were holding onto both the wall and each other for support, gasping for breath. The boys moved to see what was so funny.   
  
  
Feathers.   
  
Yes, feathers. Apparently Duo had feather pillows, because they were EVERYWHERE. On the furniture, on the floor, and on Julie and Duo. The last two were sprawled across the floor almost comically. They looked like they had just passed out, Julie first. Why Julie first? Well, because Duo's arm was slung across her stomach, of course.   
  
After the other four calmed themselves, Maggie wiped her eyes and said, "Well, now what?"   
  
Quatre was the only one capable of answering. "Considering the statistics," he mocked, "it's hypothetically impossible to wake those two. So I say...."  
  
"We go eat," interjected Trowa through a yawn, "because I'm starving."   
  
This seemed to be funny to Bridget and Maggie, who exchanged grins and screeched, "FRENCH TOAST!"   
  
Then Maggie was off, heading for the stairs.   
  
"What, she cooks?" asked Trowa blankly at the same time Quatre questioned, "French toast?"   
  
"I ATTEMPT IT!" Maggie bellowed from the bottom of the staircase.   
  
Bridget smothered a giggle as she tried to explain and go down the stairs at the same time.  
  
"At Maggie's house, the smoke alarm is so sensitive that opening the oven with nothing in it makes it go off... so we haven't sufficiently tested her skills yet."   
  
"Oh."   
  
Maggie stuck her head out the kitchen door and placed a laptop, a newspaper, and a new cup of tea for Kat on the floor. "B, come help. You two, stay OUT."  
  
Bridget gave a mock salute, which Maggie returned. Maggie went back into the kitchen, and she leaned over to the boys.   
  
"Kamikaze, here I come," she muttered... then, "Wish me luck, guys."   
  
"Good luck," they said, and watched as Bridget squared her shoulders and pushed her way through the swinging door.  
  
About a half hour later, they were all eating... free of mishaps, thank God.  
  
"Shouldn't we save some for Julie and Duo?" asked Bridget as the two boys reached for the last pieces.   
  
"They snooze, they lose," said Maggie around a mouthful of food.   
  
"Oh," said Bridget. "Ok."   
  
They heard the front door slam, and Heero came in a few seconds later.   
  
"G'Morning, Heero!" chirped Maggie.   
  
Heero froze and slowly turned to stare at her. "What?"   
  
Maggie smiled brightly and reached for her glass of milk. "Good morning!!!!"   
  
Heero nodded almost imperceptibly and raised an eyebrow at the remnants of food on the table.   
  
"Breakfast," explained Trowa, wiping off his mouth with a napkin.  
  
"French toast," Kat clarified.   
  
"We would have left you some, but you weren't here, and we weren't sure if you were coming back," added Bridget, putting down her knife and fork almost apologetically.   
  
Heero grunted something under his breath, presumably to himself, too fast for most.   
  
Maggie waved her hand expressively, like the true Italian she was. "It's almost 11, why?"   
  
Heero's head jerked around to stare at her. "You under- I can- what the..."  
  
Maggie shrugged. "Owatta ka?" she asked calmly.   
Heero glared at her, said, "Hai," and left quickly, embarrassed that she had made him express surprise so obviously.   
"Baka," Maggie chuckled, then turned to find her friends looking at her suspiciously.   
"Subtitles for the guys, Mags?" asked Bridget.  
"Well, he muttered, 'Nanji desuka?' ( What time is it?) So I told him what time it was, and he started sputtering off on how did I understand what that meant, and I asked him if he was done, and he said yes and left. Then I called him an idiot."   
"Oh," was the best Trowa could manage.   
  
Maggie stood. "Well, then, what are we doing today?"   
"Training?" suggested Kat.   
"Training? For what?" asked Bridget suspiciously.   
"Well, you're not exactly in OZ's good favor right now...."   
"Ooh, training! Come on, Kat, leave Jules and Duo a note and let's go!" said Maggie, jumping up and down. Then she stopped. "Excuse me, I was having a Julie moment."  
  
Julie woke up to a slight weight on her hip. At first she thought illogically that it was her dog, Fred, but soon realized two things.   
A) Fred had fur.   
B) WAY too light to be Fred.   
  
"What the hell?" she murmured dazedly, still 99% asleep. It slowly registered in her sleep clogged mind that it was someone's arm... and about another 5 seconds before she put two and two together and reached the conclusion that yes, it did equal four, and yes, the arm belonged to one Duo Maxwell.   
Her eyes flew open, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she took in the scene around her.   
~We're still dressed, thank Go- wait, what am I saying? I'm GLAD? Damn it!~  
She pounded her fist on the rug, immediately feeling foolish. She abruptly sat up, letting Duo's arm fall.   
  
Her movement woke Duo, who opened his eyes to see Julie surveying the damage done to his room as she idly picked feathers from her hair. He reached toward her and pulled a feather from behind her ear. She jumped and turned to see Duo grinning roguishly at her.   
"Morning, sunshine," he said, with his arms behind his head, in response to her angered glare.  
"Morning, bitch," she responded, still looking around the room in slight astonishment.   
"I'll take that as a compliment, coming from you," he countered, sitting up. Then he let out a low whistle.   
"Damn."   
"Yeah."   
They sat in silence for a few minutes. It was starting to become uncomfortable when their stomachs growled, both audibly and simultaneously.   
They laughed together and headed down to the kitchen, discomfort forgotten.   
  
"Hey, a note," said Julie, upon seeing the paper on the kitchen table.   
Dear Julie and Duo,  
  
Kat here. We didn't want to wake you... by the looks of things, you had QUITE a time. As long as the feathers stay in YOUR room, Duo, I don't mind them. Anyway, good luck finding something to eat, you two... I've been informed that neither of you can cook anything edible, and most of my staff has vacation for the summer, from May to September. After that... well, Trowa, Maggie, Bridget, and I will be pretty much all over the place today, so... I don't care where you go or what you do [Quatre, don't tell them THAT! - M/B] as long as you're out of my house... so it stays in one piece.   
  
-Quatre.  
  
PS Don't do anything stupid, we're not bailing you out.   
- QRW, MM, BC, TW  
  
"Damn, there go my plans for the day," said Julie with a chuckle. Duo nodded with a smile.   
  
"Well, then, new plan?"   
  
"Yeah, ok. How about Plan B?"  
  
"Ice cream for breakfast?"   
  
"No, Duo, that was plan C. Plan B was taking DeathScythe and flying it to the nearest McDonald's drive through."  
  
Duo laughed maniacally. "I've always wanted to do that.... but then we'd have to destroy a perfectly good McDonald's."   
  
Julie nodded with resignation. "Sad, yet true. Besides, it's already time for lunch."   
  
Duo glanced at the clock. "Wow, you're right."  
  
"So, now we go to plan D: Ice cream for LUNCH."   
  
"Good one."   
  
They went over to the freezer and Duo yanked it open. "Hmmm.... let's see... not the broccoli, please.... Ah-HA! Success!"  
  
Duo came out triumphant with two pints of chocolate marshmallow ice cream.   
  
"Good?"  
  
"My fave!" said Julie as she shoved him out of the way and opened the bottom door of the fridge. "Duo, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find the sprinkles."   
  
"Mission... accepted.... but I ain't laughing like Heero... he scares me with that."   
  
Julie laughed as she pulled out ice cream toppings.   
  
When they finished their monstrous ice creams, there was enough sugar in them to make even hardened sugar worshipers such as themselves SUPER hyper.   
  
(Translation: It's like being drunk, only without a hangover. You just feel very drained and tend to sleep a lot afterwards.)  
  
"What are we going to do NOW?" asked Duo impatiently, braid bouncing as he jumped around.   
  
"I dunno!" answered Julie.   
  
"Let's go flying. I'm bored," announced Duo.  
  
"Ok!" Julie squealed.  
  
  
Julie laughed as Duo tried unsuccessfully to buckle them in, swearing all the while. She tried to help, but in their sugared state all she did was make it worse.   
  
"Stay still!" he ordered.  
  
"Ok!" she said, stiffening immediately. Then she giggled as Duo reached around her to find the other buckle.   
  
"Hey, that tickles!"   
  
Duo's smile grew. "What, THIS?" he said, doing it again.   
  
"Yes, that! Stop.... Duo!" She started gasping in between giggles.   
  
"Ooh, Julie's TICKLISH!" he said, moving to her sides. She squirmed, trying move away in the small cockpit, thankful Duo had had so much trouble with the buckles... because if he hadn't, she never would have escaped.   
  
Duo was relentless in his attack of her sides and ribs. "I found a weakness, I found a weakness... ow!"   
  
Julie grabbed Duo's braid and smiled sweetly. "Want me to find your weakness?"   
  
"I don't have any," Duo lied. With Julie on his lap, he was feeling very weak indeed.  
  
"Oh, REALLY," she remarked, brushing his nose with the end of the braid.   
  
Julie kept her hold on Duo's braid and turned so she was facing him. "Are you SURE?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"You have no weaknesses."   
  
"None."  
  
"Yes, you do."   
  
"Nope."  
  
Julie leaned really close to him and whispered, "Yup."  
  
Duo swallowed. "Yup," he agreed finally, before leaning forward about five centimeters and catching her lips with his own.  
  
Julie smiled as they kissed, glad things had gone the way she had wanted them to.   
  
  
About a half hour later, Maggie and Bridget stumbled into the kitchen. They hadn't let the boys see it, but they were exhausted.   
  
"I wonder where Julie and Duo went," remarked Bridget as she gulped water gratefully.   
  
"Well, their note says they went flying, but.... I saw DeathScythe as we came in," Maggie frowned.   
  
Bridget's face gradually lightened as she realized the obvious truth. She got up, looked at the calendar, then grinned.   
  
"Magggiieeeee."  
  
"What?"   
  
"They're making out."  
  
Maggie spit her drink back into her glass. "Oh, loads of mental images with THAT statement that I don't need. So?"   
  
"Sooo... it's been a week and a half since we got here. You only gave them a week. You owe me 10 bucks!"  
  
"What? I do not!"   
  
"Ya- huh."  
  
"Na- uh."  
  
"Ya- huh."   
  
"Na- uh."  
  
"Ya- huh."  
  
"Na- uh."  
  
"Ya- huh."  
  
"Na- uh."  
  
"Ya- huh."  
  
Trowa walked into the middle of this, frowned, then announced, "I'm going to work, girls. See you later."  
  
The two turned to him, said, " Bye, Trowa!" simultaneously, then went back to bickering.   
  
"Na- uh."  
  
"Ya- huh."   
  
"Na- uh."  
  
"Ya- huh."  
  
"Na- Work? Hey, Trowa, wait up!" cried Maggie, snatching Bridget's wrist and hauling her along as Bridget complained loudly, "Maggie, NO! Not the circus! ANYTHING but the circus!"   
  
Quatre, having a discussion with Rashid, heard Bridget's plea and hurriedly said, "Excuse me for a moment." Then he booked it for the front door.   
  
"THIS should be an interesting summer," sighed Rashid with a smile.   
  
Kat got outside in time to hear, "Maggie, I am not- KAT! HELP ME!"   
  
Kat jogged over. "What's going on?"   
  
"Well," started Trowa, "I think Maggie wants to come to work with me, and wants Bridget to come, too, and for some reason she doesn't want to go."   
  
Maggie snickered. "SURE she does. DON'T you, Bridget?"   
  
Bridget shrunk away, forgetting Maggie's hand on her wrist. "Ow, Mags, that hurts! No, I am NOT going!"   
  
"What's wrong, Bridget?" asked Kat gently.   
  
"I'mafraidofclowns," she muttered.   
  
"You're WHAT?" asked Trowa incredulously, not believing what he was hearing.  
  
Maggie cackled. "You heard her. She's afraid!!!"   
  
Bridget wrenched her wrist out of Maggie's grip and smacked her arm. "Stop! So what if I am? I had a traumatized childhood!"   
  
"Suuuuurrrrreeeeee. Ok. You didn't KNOW me when we were kids!"   
  
"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT AND YOU KNOW IT!!! YOU KNOW THE CLOWN STORIES!"  
  
"Ohhhhhhh. You mean Pennywise?"   
  
"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!"   
  
"Ok, You- Know- Who?"  
  
"Now you're being stupid."   
  
"Ok, ok. Would you like me to TELL them why?"   
  
"Sure, go ahead, fine, do whatever you want," she said, pouting.   
  
"It's Stephen King, one of the scariest horror writers ever. He wrote a story about a clown   
who ate small children, and Bridget over there saw the movie version..."  
  
"He didn't just EAT them! He mutilated them, ripped off their limbs, bit their..."  
  
"Bridget, don't dwell."   
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Well, anyway, that's why she doesn't want to go. Hey!"   
  
~Uh-oh.~  
  
"Kat, why don't you come with us!?"   
  
~Damn, I knew that bribe was coming.~  
  
"What? Well... I'll go if Bridget does," Kat said, seeing the look on Trowa and Maggie's faces.   
  
~Shit. I knew they would do this to me. Go to the circus with Kat, stay home with him, and have Maggie mad at me. Go, stay, go, stay, go, stay.... I hate you, Maggie.~  
  
"You always make my life so difficult. Fine! I'll go, but YOU OWE ME."   
  
"Okay," she shrugged, never dreaming she'd be called upon to answer that favor later.   
  
  
"Trowa!"   
  
Trowa hopped out of the car and hugged his sister Catherine. "Hi, Cathy."  
  
Bridget and Maggie exchanged looks as Catherine asked the standard older sister questions: Where were you? who were you with? do you have to stay at Kat's? can't you stay here?  
  
Bridget's look clearly said, ~What the hell?~  
  
Maggie mouthed, "How would you describe her?"   
  
Bridget shrugged, then almost lost it as a thoughtful looking Maggie answered her own question silently. "Oh! Scary beyond all reason!"   
  
"Yzma."   
  
"Yeah... only younger."  
  
"Oh, definitely."   
  
Cathy finally realized the two girls were there and stopped her inquisition long enough to inquire, "Who are they?"   
  
~And she's full of tact, too.~   
  
Trowa shrugged. "This is Maggie, and this is Bridget. They staying at Kat's house, too. We rescued them as one of our missions, and they are staying with us for safety's sake."  
  
"So why are they HERE?"   
  
Bridget started to open her mouth to say, "Trowa says it's part of my therapy," but at a glare from Maggie, decided against it.  
  
Kat decided to step in, practically seeing the steam coming from Maggie's ears. "They wanted to come," he said simply.   
  
Cathy glared at him. "And remind me why YOU'RE here?"   
  
"Ok, excuse us for a second," said Trowa quickly, grabbing Cathy's arm and hauling her back toward one of the tents.   
  
As soon as they were gone, Maggie let loose. "Who the hell does she think she IS? I can't believe her! If my younger brother brought people to visit, I'd at LEAST be cordial!"  
  
Kat and Bridget tried to soothe her, but she quickly calmed on her own. "I want to know what he's saying," she said over her shoulder as she stealthily followed the path Trowa and Cathy had taken. Kat and Bridget let her go, admittedly curious themselves.   
  
Maggie snuck around behind the tent, listening carefully to the heated voices inside.   
  
"You are NOT ruining this this time for me, Catherine! These people are my FRIENDS. They CARE about me. I know you do, too, but my world can not revolve around you alone!"   
  
Maggie smothered a giggle at the shocked look on Cathy's face.   
  
"But.... we're FAMILY, Trowa!"   
  
"They are my family, too. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go get ready."   
  
  
  



	5. Squirrels, Squealers, and Sensuality

Trowa's fight with Cathy over his three friends redeemed him somewhat in Maggie's eyes, and she was actually nice to him for about two weeks.   
  
Maggie's prediction rang almost true; it was hard to separate Julie and Duo, but at least they saved the making out for private moments.   
  
  
  
"WHERE IS IT?!" came the roar from upstairs. The girls exchanged amused looks, and the other four boys looked alarmed.   
  
"What did you onnas do now?" asked Wufei in exasperation.   
  
At that moment a steaming Heero stormed downstairs and got right in Maggie's face. "WHERE IS MY LAPTOP?"   
  
Maggie's face registered complete surprise. "I have no idea, Heero. Why would I take yours, anyway, when mine is so much better?"   
  
Heero let out a disgruntled roar and left, slamming the door. Maggie stood up and excused herself, Julie and Bridget following.   
  
  
About an hour later, Trowa was outside on the side lawn, hunting for something. Duo bounced impatiently inside the window.   
  
"Found it!" said Trowa at last, holding up the dagger Maggie had tried to hurl at him just minutes before, when her patience had worn thin... again.  
  
"Good, now you can treasure the damn thing forever. Come ON, Trowa, I'm hungry!"   
  
"You're always...."   
  
He stopped as Duo whispered, "Shit!" and jumped out the window to land softly on the grass.   
  
"What?" asked Trowa in a whisper, coming up behind him and crouching next to him under the window.   
  
He peered in to see a humming Julie in black stretch pants with red and silver side stripes and a red tanktop, her hair in their customary buns. She looked around furtively, then opened a drawer and hit the bottom, popping it up. From the hidden compartment she removed a familiar looking laptop.   
  
"Heero's gonna be pissed... well, more so than he already is..." muttered Trowa.   
  
Julie opened it, typed a few things, then smiled broadly. "Maggie, you are a goddess," she murmured with a grin.   
  
Duo shot Trowa a look. "Seems Maggie lied to Heero, then."   
  
Suddenly music started coming from the laptop.... more specifically, a song by Whitney Houston. Julie jumped up and began to dance.   
  
Amused, Trowa shot a look at Duo to see him practically drooling. He mouthed, "I want..."   
  
"Got it, Jules?" a familiar voice asked. It was Duo's turn to chuckle as Trowa's head snapped around to the sound of Maggie's voice.   
  
"Yup! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"   
  
"Yeah, well, Heero won't be thanking me, that's for damn sure!"   
  
Julie laughed and watched as Maggie, clad in black stretch capris, a powder blue tank top, and a pair of matching socks, strolled over to the laptop and hit a few more keys. 'Party Up' by DMX came out, and Maggie started to move with it, laughing all the while.   
  
"Ya'll gonna make me lose my mind, up in here, up in here....." she sang, giggling.   
  
Duo glanced at Trowa, whose eyes were wide with shock. "Oh my God," he whispered.  
  
"I second that," said Duo, mouth open.  
  
Trowa frowned. "Is Maggie blinking in time to the music?"   
  
Duo frowned, too, then blinked himself. "Oh, wow, she is?"  
  
"Yup."   
  
  
  
  
"So, Master Quatre, how are the girls settling in?"   
  
"They are actually fitting in quite nicely, Rashid... surprisingly."  
  
"Or maybe not. They seem quite adaptable, Master Quatre. Almost like pilots," he chuckled. Then he said, "And how is Miss Bridget feeling?"  
  
A faint blush crept across Kat's cheeks before he could stop it. "Oh! Bridget's....um.... fine...." His voice trailed off as, through the open door to the hall way, they saw a certain honey blonde in a plaid miniskirt and white baby tee slip past silently.   
  
"If you'll... uh... excuse me, Rashid," blurted Kat, quickly following the girl.   
  
As soon as he left, all of Kat's servants exploded with theories, comments, and ribbing about Master Quatre and his new " girl friend." [Not girlfriend, but girl friend.... never mind.]   
  
"Guys?" came Bridget's soft voice as she surveyed the girls dancing.   
  
"Hi, B!" said Julie as she swung around.  
  
"Come dance with us!" said Maggie persuasively.   
  
Bridget hesitated. "Well..."  
  
"Oh, come on..." As Julie started to beg, Maggie decided on a better course of action. She pecked away at the laptop for a few minutes, then smiled.   
  
"I KNOW you can't resist this song, Bridget," she cackled.   
  
"No!"   
  
"Yes!" said Julie with glee as Sting's 'Desert Rose' came on.   
  
"I hate you both," she growled without real hate, and moved around to the center of the room.  
  
"No WAY," said Duo with a fazed grin. "Miss Innocent is gonna DANCE? Like THEM?"   
  
Julie pulled a gypsy move and Maggie snorted. "Come on, Bridget, show her how it's REALLY done."  
  
Bridget sighed and started to dance like an Arab. Maggie whooped, "Go Bridget, go Bridget...."   
  
"Kat would LOVE this," Duo whispered to Trowa at the same moment Julie whispered it to Maggie, neither dreaming that Kat was concealed in the doorway, jaw scraping the floor. Luckily for the poor boy, the song was soon over.   
  
"Cheer, ready!" screamed Julie, and Maggie took up center stage.   
  
"Come on, ya'll, let's hear it!" she shouted, stepping forward with one hand in the air.   
  
"Clear!" she ordered, and the other two quickly moved the various tables and rugs out of the way.   
  
"Ready, girls?"   
  
"READY!"   
  
Three backflips later, Maggie was in line with the girls, and they struck poses as they began a cheer from the movie, "Bring it on."  
  
"I'm sexy, I'm cute, I'm popular to boot," sang Julie.  
  
"I'm bitchin', great hair, the boys all love to stare," whooped Maggie, flipping her mossy ponytail flirtatiously.   
  
Bridget stepped up to announce alone, "I'm wanted, I'm hot, I'm everything you're not."  
  
Doing sensual moves, they got to the line, "I'm nature, I roar, I SWEAR I'm not a whore!" before Duo lost it and said, "Damn, I was so close..." loud enough for the girls to hear.  
  
Maggie reached over and shut off the music, and the three girls leaned out the window to see Trowa and Duo. Duo grinned at them, bobbing his head to some music only he could hear.   
  
"I am LOVING the view from here," he said, referring to the low cut shirts the girls were wearing.   
  
"Well, take a GOOD look, Maxwell," said Maggie sweetly before her expression turned dark, "BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GOUGE OUT YOUR EYES!"   
  
"Not if I do it first," said Julie, reaching out to snag Duo by the braid angrily.   
  
"OwOwOwOwOwOwOwOwOwOw!" he said as Julie hauled him inside by the hair.  
"Julie, hair, OW! PAIN!"   
  
Maggie cocked her head at the cowering Trowa. "And as for YOU..."   
  
Trowa started running. He made it about twenty feet before being tackled by Maggie. About five seconds later, he heard a thud nearby and saw Kat laying on the grass next to him, Bridget sitting on his stomach. Maggie got up to stand on his chest and put her foot to his throat.   
  
"Trowa..."  
  
He tried to swallow unsuccessfully. "Yes?"   
  
"Were you SPYING on us?"  
  
"No! I mean... yes... I mean, not on purpose.... oh, shit...."   
  
Maggie smiled as, over on the other side, Bridget and Kat were having their own conversation.   
  
Bridget went to say something to Kat and he flinched. Bridget's face registered surprise. "What's wrong, Kat? Are you afraid of me?"  
  
"A little," he muttered softly.   
  
"Why? There's nothing to be...."   
  
She was cut off by Maggie chanting, "Be afraid, be VERY afraid...."  
  
"Oh, shut up and beat on Trowa, will you?"   
  
Maggie turned back to the object of her "anger."   
  
"Well," she shrugged, "You could have just ASKED." Then she got off of his chest and started to go back inside.   
  
"Ditto," Bridget said to Kat. She, too, got up.   
  
"What just happened?" asked Kat dazedly.   
  
"I believe you just got ya asses kicked," said Maggie with a smile as she turned her head back toward them.   
  
Suddenly they heard a roar from the direction of the house easily recognizable as Heero's.   
  
"Scatter!" called Maggie, running for dear life already. "He found out we put AudioGalaxy on his laptop!!!"   
  
"MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!"   
  
Heero got to Trowa and Kat and looked around for the absent girls.   
  
"Which way?" he growled.   
  
They both pointed in the opposite direction of the way the girls had gone, and Heero was off.   
  
Duo came up a few minutes later.   
  
"Listen, you two," he started.   
  
~Uh-oh~   
  
"You are the weakest men I've ever met in my life. Come on, now, honestly. You think you're gonna find girls better than this? Living in the same HOUSE as us? Knowing the condition in which we live? Ones that can COOK, AND kick ass? I think not. I made my move," he said, ignoring the fact that Julie had been the aggressor for the moment to get his point across, "so make yours and get it over with before you four drive both Julie and I insane."   
  
He calmly walked away, leaving a started and sheepish pair of Gundam pilots in his wake.   
  
  
  
Then they heard a commotion coming from the front lawn and decided to investigate.   
  
"Squeak squeaker?" asked Maggie, seemingly talking to a squirrel perched on her shoulder.   
  
The squirrel chittered something, pointing at a bewildered Heero, who had his gun pointed uncertainly at Maggie.   
  
"No, no, it's not you," Maggie assured the traumitized creature. She made a motion in front of her chest. "There's a wall there," she finished in a conspiritorial manner.  
  
"Oh...squeakity squeak squeak squeaken?" asked Bridget with interest, sitting crosslegged on the lawn across from Maggie.   
  
The squirrel spun around, fell over as if dead, then leapt back up and waved its arms as the three girls first gasped, then glared at Heero.   
  
Heero looked at the other four pilots as they came up bemusedly. "They're talking to a squirrel," said Wufei in disbelief.   
  
Heero stiffened his resolve and aimed again at Maggie as she twittered away in squirrel. He blinked, and Julie remarked to Bridget, "He's going to need some serious therapy after this: Look at his eye twitching!" Heero spun to face her, paranoid now beyond belief.  
  
"That's it! I'm just going to kill you all and solve my problem all at once," he said.   
  
The squirrel, taking offense to the threat of her friends, raced over, up Heero's leg, and onto his arm, scolding loudly.   
  
"She says you're threatening the whole Clan of the Acorn by threatening three of its most revered members," translated Maggie.   
  
"You see? We have connections," said Bridget, leaning back.   
  
"This is nuts! They're talking to a squirrel!" exclaimed Trowa... then started to laugh as he realized his unintentional pun. The others followed, except for Heero, who simply lowered the gun and stalked away, muttering something about revenge being a dish best served cold.  
  



	6. Pool Parties... Very Distracting

The first of June brought unbearable heat along with it, and Kat quickly had his pool reopened. Duo took it upon himself to have an impromptu pool party to celebrate, and invited Sally Po and Relena Peacecraft before anyone else but Kat knew about it.   
  
Duo told the other guys to relax and come take a swim, and they decided to take his advice. Then Duo went off in search of the other girls.   
  
  
He heard music drifting over from the side lawn, and peeked his head over the bushes to take a look. It seemed as if Maggie and Bridget were sparring, but.... only Wufei was supposed to do that. The two expertly traded kicks and punches, Maggie flipping backwards to avoid a particularly vicious blow Bridget tried to deliver. The next time Bridget tried it, she was ready. With a quick sweep, Maggie knocked B's legs out from under her, sending her onto her back with a loud bang.   
  
"Call?" asked Maggie.  
  
"Call," croaked Bridget, taking Maggie's offered hand and slowly getting to her feet.   
  
The trio heard clapping from behind the bushes, and Duo stepped out, braid swinging. "That was amazing. Good fight!"   
  
"Maxwell," said Maggie with a nod.  
  
"Hi...ow... Duo," said Bridget.   
  
Maggie looked at her worriedly. "I KNEW we shouldn't have sparred so soon!"   
  
"I'm fine!!"   
  
Maggie shook her head. "Next time, I take my OWN advice," she muttered.   
  
"Well, girls, I suggest you come and have some fun."   
  
"Fun?" asked Maggie, as if the concept was completely foreign.   
  
"Yeah...." said Duo with exaggeration. "You know, come swimming with us!"   
  
Maggie's eyes lit up at the mention of the word 'swimming,' but duty came first.  
  
"Sorry, Duo, we're..."  
  
"...more than happy to join you," said Bridget, elbowing Maggie in the ribs sharply.   
  
"See ya soon, babe!" said Julie as they herded a protesting Maggie back to the house to get changed.   
  
"Maggie, I'm exhausted," said Bridget in way of explanation. "Can't we just chill? Besides...  
  
A) Swimming IS training.   
B) You LOVE to swim, so lighten up."   
  
"Fine," Maggie grumbled, though she was actually happy. As she reached into her closet for her bathing suit, she heard a gasp come from the window.   
  
"Jules?"   
  
"Oh. My God."  
  
"Julie?"  
  
"Guys... we forgot one crucial thing," she sputtered.  
  
"What?"   
  
She turned around, eyes huge. "The guys are in bathing suits, too."   
  
Maggie's face settled into a mask. "That might bother YOU."  
  
Bridget snorted. "Oh, like you won't 'notice'."  
  
Maggie put on her suit. "Nope."  
  
"Not even Trowa?" asked Julie wickedly. Maggie fought the blush rising to her cheeks.   
  
"Never."   
  
"Suuuurrrrreeee..." Julie drawled, then squealed as Maggie chucked a pillow at her head.   
  
"Oh, leave me alone!" she muttered.   
  
"Ok, Jules, back off," said Bridget softly, recognizing Maggie's discomfort.  
  
Maggie walked over to her dresser, snatched up her goggles, and turned to the others.   
  
"You ready?" she asked.   
  
Julie grabbed her towel. "Yeah, let's go give em hell."  
  
Bridget rolled her eyes. "You sound like your boyfriend."  
  
"And YOU make that sound like that's a bad thing," Julie retorted as the door swung shut.   
  
  
"WHERE are Julie, Bridget, and Maggie?" whined Duo as he lined up for another dive.   
  
Relena, lounging in a chair not far away, remarked, "Do I finally get to meet this mysterious trio?" She lowered her sunglasses and peered out from under her hat at the guys.   
  
"As soon as those onnas get OUT here," said Wufei, sounding angry... but just trying not to think about the bathing suit clad Sally.   
  
"Hey, Wu-man, I forgot to mention... B and Maggie were sparring before." said Duo wickedly.   
  
He sat up straight. "WHAT?"   
  
Duo grinned. "Yeah. They were doing damn good, but Maggie still kicked her ass."   
  
Trowa tried to cover a smile unsuccessfully. ~Atta girl,~ he though, watching Wufei rant.   
  
"That stupid onna! I can't believe she would fight MY trainee when I specifically told her not to!"  
  
"Anyone I know?" asked Maggie coolly as she came up behind Wufei.   
  
Wufei looked furious as he turned in his chair. "Yes! You purposely..."  
  
He was cut off by a huge splash and a laugh. Duo surfaced in the pool, sputtering at a laughing Julie.   
  
"Hi, Duo," she waved.   
  
"That's it, you're going down!" he cried, scrambling to get out of the pool.   
  
Relena smiled at Maggie. "I'd guess that would be Julie," she smiled.   
  
Maggie smiled back, immediately liking this girl. "Your intuition would be correct. I'm Maggie," she said, extending a hand.   
  
"Relena Peacecraft, pleased to meet you," she returned, surprised to feel such a firm handshake from the petite girl at least 4 inches shorter than she.   
  
"The pleasure is mine. The one hovering around our dear host is Bridget... God help her.   
  
Relena chuckled. This girl was good. "Now..." said Maggie, cracking her knuckles, "I believe I have some laps to swim, if you'll excuse me."   
  
Relena watched her go, then leaned over to Heero and whispered, "I like her. She's definitely something else, don't you agree?"  
  
"Hn. Something else, because she's definitely not human."  
  
"Heero!"   
  
They both turned and watched as Maggie moved in front of Trowa's chair... the occupant desperately trying not to look... and readied herself for a dive.   
  
"What do you think, Trowa?" she asked innocently. "Front dive... or back dive?" She turned to face him, not knowing that behind his dark sunglasses his eyes were shut.   
  
"Back," he answered quickly.   
  
"Ok," she said... and he felt a whoosh of air as she passed him.   
  
"Where're you going?" he asked cautiously, daring to open his eyes and turn around... to see Maggie clambering on top of the six foot high fence.   
  
"I need more height for a back flip," she answered, turning around and holding out her arms. Trowa's eyes widened.   
  
"Maggie, you're not seriously..." started Bridget before she was interrupted by a splash and a grinning Maggie who surfaced with a nod.   
  
"Sure I am," she said, after the fact. She pulled herself out of the pool and stood in front of Trowa's chair with her hands on her hips.  
  
"What?" he asked.   
  
Maggie leaned forward into his face. "One..." she snatched his sunglasses off his face in one swift move. "I need sunglasses." She clipped them to her top. "And two," she said as she turned around with a devilish smile on her lips. "You are WAY too dry!"   
  
She cannon balled into the pool with a gigantic splash, completely drenching Trowa. As he sat there in shock, dripping water, the only thought in his mind was, ~How does such a tiny person make such a huge splash?!~  
  
Julie and Duo, who were laughing at him, had a hurried conference before Julie called out, "Hey, Mags, come play Chicken Fight with us!"   
  
Maggie shot one last glance at Trowa before calling back, "Find a bottom, I'll be right there!"   
  
"Taken care of," said Julie with a yank on Duo's braid.   
  
Maggie's eyes swept the pool. Trowa was definitely out; he was too angry at the moment. Heero and she were at odds constantly. Wufei seemed to be the object of a poking contest between Bridget and Sally. Duo was Julie's bottom. That left....  
  
"KAT!!!!"   
  
Quatre almost dropped the book he had been reading. "Yes, Maggie?"  
  
"Please, please, PLEASE be my bottom for Chicken fight?" she begged.   
  
Kat raised an eyebrow, then put down his book. "Sure, Maggie. Ok."  
  
"Thank you!" she squealed.   
  
Sally stopped poking Wufei long enough to call, "I wanna play the winner."  
  
"Oh, so you're playing Duo and I," said Julie confidently.   
  
"Julie, I TOLD you smoking bad crack would give you hallucinations!" snorted Maggie as she got on Kat's shoulders.   
  
"Whatever, HMB, let's just get it done."   
  
Maggie's eyes narrowed. "Oh, that's it!"  
  
They fought furiously for almost twenty minutes before two vicious moves from Maggie in a row sent Julie over, taking Duo with her.   
  
"Yes!!!!" cried Maggie, raising her fists in the air. "I win!"   
  
"Damn midget," sputtered Julie. Maggie hopped off Kat's shoulders and they exchanged a high five.   
  
  
  
Bridget looked over at Sally, who seemed slightly pale. "You SURE you want to fight Maggie?" she asked with a laugh.   
  
"Not any-" started Sally, then shot a look at Wufei and stopped.   
  
"You can say it, he's asleep," said Bridget.  
  
"Say wh- he's asleep?"   
  
"Sure, see?" Bridget pulled off his sunglasses to reveal Wufei's closed eyes. His steady breathing and crossed arms revealed that Bridget was right.   
  
"Wow, he IS asleep."  
  
"Not for long," said Bridget with a smile that mirrored Maggie's earlier one.   
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean 1: He hasn't been in the pool yet. 2: He's been working me so hard in training it's not even cool, and 3: He's being stubborn about liking you. Not that you're much better, but... hey, Maggie!"   
  
Sally mouthed silently at Bridget's back as she turned to Maggie, pointed at Wufei, then made a scooping motion towards the pool.   
  
"Sweet," Maggie mouthed back, vaulting out of the pool.   
  
"Now, how are we going to do this?" asked Sally, snapping out of her shock.   
  
"Well, by all means, let's be logical. Picking just Wufei up would involve waking him up, which defeats the whole purpose. These chairs are waterproof... I mean, they're plastic, come on!... so..."   
  
Maggie moved to the back of the chair, Bridget and Sally each took a side, and..."  
  
"1... 2... 3!"   
  
They all heaved, and there was a gigantic splash followed by enraged Japanese yelling.   
  
"Nande kuso? Chikusho, baka onnas!"   
Maggie giggled, palm against her mouth. Sally was trying not to laugh, and Bridget had already lost it.  
  
"What's he sayin?" asked Duo impatiently.   
  
"He said, 'What the hell? Damn it, idiot women!' loosely," explained Sally, now laughing openly.  
  
Duo choked out a laugh. Maggie watched the fuming Wufei with interest... then caught Trowa watching near the edge out of the corner of her eye. Sally gave her a significant look. Maggie shrugged elegantly and moved behind the unsuspecting circus performer.   
  
She reached up and tapped him on the shoulder. She timed her shove to perfectly match his spin, using his extra momentum to effectively send him into the pool.   
  
There were literal tears of mirth rolling down Maggie's cheeks as she watched Trowa surface, shaking his head like a dog, bangs flopping.   
  
"You... look... so... funny..." she gasped.   
  
He glared into her eyes for a moment...then began to cough uncontrollably.   
  
"Trowa?" she asked, still slightly giddy.   
  
He moved to the side, watching with a careful eye as she got closer... then, abruptly ok, he snatched her arm and flipped her into the pool next to him.   
  
Maggie surfaced to hear laughter from almost everyone as she shook her own head. "Damn my conscience," she muttered. "Note to self: Get. Rid. Of. IT."   
  
Trowa watched Maggie swim toward him with purposeful strokes and felt the laughter die in his throat.  
  
"Oh, man, Trowa is screwed," said Kat softly.   
  
"You. Are. Dead," said Maggie with no feeling in her voice whatsoever. She lunged at Trowa, locking her arms around his neck from behind.... and he found himself in quite an interesting predicament.   
  
"Trowa," she said into his ear, "do you have a death wish?"  
  
~At this moment, I just might,~ he thought, an odd constriction in his chest. He weighed this situation in his mind. On one hand, Maggie was out for his blood. On the other, the girl out for his blood was very pretty, in a flattering tankini, and happened to be hanging off his back. In his mind for a moment he tipped the scales, waiting for them to fall into place.   
  
~Control your hormones, Barton,~ he finally decided. ~Time for this LATER... like, when she's NOT trying to kill you.~   
  
~And when is that?~ his inner self taunted.   
  
~I'll find SOME second... someday. Now, instead of teasing me... HELP?~  
  
~Stupid. Just go under.~  
  
~I knew I kept you around for a reason.~   
  
Arguing with himself having taken less than half a minute, he quickly ducked under, feeling Maggie's arms instantly loosen. He came up and turned to face her.   
  
"Still gonna kill me?" he asked.   
  
"Nah," she answered with a smile. "You're not worth the effort yet."  
  
They were cut off by a scream... a splash... and an unfamiliar sound.... Wufei, laughing?  
  
"Justice is served, onna!" he sputtered at a dripping Sally.   
  
She smiled, flipped her sopping hair over her shoulder, and said teasingly, "Hey, it was worth a dunking to hear YOU laugh, otoko."   
  
Wufei raised his eyebrows. "Really."   
  
He was surprised. Sally knew Japanese, like any respectable militant, but she always refused to come back at him. It seemed her teasing mood was a little deeper than first assumed.  
  
"Really," she shot back, smiling at Bridget, who returned the gesture. The smile grew a little wider, but Bridget didn't catch it. Nor did she catch the sneaky Arabian who was about two feet behind her.   
  
She jumped as a wet arm stole around her bare waist, and a teasing voice whispered in her ear, "You're one of the only dry ones."   
  
Then, with a deft scoop, Kat swept her up and tossed her in. He immediately made his way to the house unhurriedly as eight pairs of eyes followed his movements, then swept back to the pool as a fuming Bridget stormed out of the pool after him.   
  
  
~*~  
  
Kat made his way up the stairs to his room, ignoring the eyes of his servants and Rashid. He went and closed the door, locking it with a click, and waited for the explosion.   
  
"WHERE IS HE?!"  
  
Rashid blinked in surprise as a fuming... and sopping... Bridget came storming in the house, almost slipping on the wet tile of the back hall.   
  
She visibly calmed herself and said, "Rashid, can you please inform me which way your dear Mas- EX- Master went?"   
  
Rashid smiled internally. ~May Allah help you this time, Master Quatre... for you have incurred the wrath of a woman, and no man can help you now.~  
  
"Follow me, Mis- Bridget. Here."   
  
He gave her a towel, and she absently began rubbing herself dry as she followed Rashid up the stairs. "He's in his room."  
  
"Thank you, Rashid." Instead of trying Kat's door, she made her way to the window facing the pool and called, "Hey, Maggie!"   
  
"What?" she called back from where she was staring Trowa down.   
  
"How do I get through a locked door without killing it?"  
  
"Simple. Pull the pins on the hinges and pull!" she answered. Kat heard this and swallowed. Hard.   
  
"Thanks."  
  
Kat heard work outside his door and backed to the furthest point away from the door in his room; the window.   
  
The door was pulled off and put to the side. Bridget stood there, face red with anger, still dripping wet, with the towel clutched in her hand.   
  
"Quatre Raberba Winner, you and I have a few things to discuss," she said in a low, dangerous voice he seldom, if ever, heard her use.   
  
He knew he should at least be concerned a little for his physical safety at the moment, but his mind refused to cooperate, instead concentrating on how pretty she looked when she was mad... a view he rarely received.   
  
~Kat, she's a guest in your house... you shouldn't be thinking like THAT.~  
  
~How long should I wait until I do? It's only BLATANTLY obvious to everyone except her how much I like her, so why wait? To put more strain on us both?~  
  
~Quatre, she's chewing you out... at least listen to her.~  
  
".. I can't believe you..." she trailed off as she noticed the look in his eyes and blushed. It was an oddly appraising look that Trowa gave Maggie and Heero gave Relena when they guys KNEW the girls weren't paying attention.   
  
"Are you listening to me?" she asked suddenly. He blinked. She was suddenly VERY close. During her speech she had been stepping closer to make certain points he still hadn't heard.   
  
"Not really," he admitted. "My mind is... elsewhere, Bridget."  
  
She sputtered in rage, and was about to make a stinging retort when he leaned forward and barely brushed his lips against hers... almost an apology... almost a question.   
  
She stood, too shocked to even respond to it. He pulled back, leaning away from her to study her face. From downstairs by the pool they could hear Dr. Bayth, there for Bridget's checkup, inquiring about them both.   
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered... not only meaning the shove into the pool.   
  
She was still in shock, standing, unmoving... but when he tried to pass her, she reacted with all the emotions she was feeling. She lashed out, catching Kat in the shoulder with her arm and sending him tumbling out the second story window into the well manicured bushes below. She heard exclamations of surprise from the people downstairs, a cry of slight pain from Kat as he hit the bushes... all far away as she raised a hand to her lips absently. She moved to the door, released the lock, and put it back in its place, fixing the hinges. She closed the door silently... then, with a small cry of anger, kicked it back down, feeling the door splinter under her kick, barely feeling the tiny shards of wood pierce the tender flesh of her foot as she moved down the hall to her own bedroom. She closed the door and sat herself on the bed.   
  
It was only then that she allowed the tears to come, thinking, ~That was my first kiss... and it didn't go the way I imagined it would at all.~  
  
A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on the door, and, before she could say anything, a soft voice said, "It's Dr. Bayth, Bridget... please let me in."  
  
"And Maggie," came another voice, uncharacteristically soft.   
  
Bridget rose and unlocked the door, confronting the doctor and her friend with red rimmed eyes. They stepped inside, the doctor immediately noting the small spots of blood on the sheets where her feet had been, the friend noticing the shaking hands and clenched fists.  
  
They said nothing, but gently sat Bridget down on the bed. Dr. Bayth knelt down, carefully removing the splinters from Bridget's feet. Maggie sat down next to Bridget and took one of her hands in hers, delicately prying the fingers open to reveal the bleeding palms. Maggie silently took the wet cloth Dr. Bayth offered her and began to clean Bridget's hands.   
  
They both worked in silence, and it was the patient who spoke first. "Is he ok?"   
  
"Yes, he's fine."  
  
"Damn." They both knew she wasn't referring to the fact that Kat was ok, so they waited patiently for her to continue. "He's gonna hate me."  
  
"Oh, no! No, he won't, Bridget! He won't, I swear it!" Maggie said vehemently, because she had seen Kat's face when he got up, and it was one of regret... and there was anger, but not at her... at himself.   
  
"I...I didn't know what to do. I just reacted."  
  
"Of course you did," soothed Dr. Bayth as she gave Bridget a shot that she didn't even notice. She did notice how drowsy she became, however.   
  
"Shh, Bridget. Come on, lie down," said Maggie gently.   
  
  
  
  
Bridget was soon fast asleep, face still stiff with dried tears. Maggie and Dr. Bayth watched silently.   
  
"I should have warned him," said Maggie softly. "I knew he liked her. I should have said something."   
  
"It wasn't your place, Maggie," said Dr. Bayth gently. "You know that."  
  
"Yeah, I know. I know. Kat ok?"  
  
"He should be fine... but I'd watch them both for a while... this can't be good for them."   
  
"No," said Maggie, eyes dark, "it won't be."   
  



	7. Chapter 6b: Interlude

Bridget slowly opened her eyes. She blinked and rolled to her side to see Sally and Wufei sitting in chairs next to her bed. Sally was watching Wufei silently, a smile on her face. He appeared to be sleeping. Sally looked over at the sound of Bridget moving and said softly, "Hey."   
  
"Hey," she answered, still slightly asleep.   
  
"You ok?" Sally asked softly. THEN Bridget remembered.   
  
"Yeah. I'm fine. Go back to the party, Sally. And, do me a favor. Take Sleeping Baka with you."  
  
"I am NOT amused, onna," Wufei retorted, opening his eyes. "Besides, it's midnight, the party's over."   
  
Bridget sat up. "Then what are YOU still doing here, Sally?"   
  
Sally sat down on the bed next to her. "Just wanted to make sure you were ok."  
  
"Ok, so why is HE here?"   
  
"What happened?" Wufei asked instead of answering her question. Bridget frowned.   
  
"I asked you first."   
  
"Do you HAVE to make my life so diffic-"  
  
"He wanted to see if you were ok, too," Sally cut in, giving Wufei a dirty look.  
  
Bridget smiled. "Aw, thanks, baka. I think that's the niceset thing you've ever... no, wait... oh, yes, it IS nicer than the time you hit me with the flat edge of the sword in the leg because I was complaining of a headache, never mind."   
  
"You hit her?" asked Sally incredulously.   
  
"It was in training!" Wufei defended. "I AM nice to that onna... speaking of which.... I need to break that bad habit. So," he directed to Bridget, "What happened?"   
  
"Why do you want to know?" she countered.  
  
"1: I might have to kill Winner. 2: Psycho is worried about you, and that onna is NEVER worried...."   
  
"Sure Maggie gets worried, she just never SHOWS it," Bridget interjected.  
  
"....and 3: I'm curious."   
  
Bridget sighed. "I followed Quatre and took the pins out of his door hinges. I went in and started yelling at him before he kissed me..."  
  
"What? He WHAT?!" Suddenly Wufei was off in Chinese.   
  
"What the..." Sally started.   
  
Bridget was listening with an attentive ear and muttering translation, half to Sally, half to herself. "Injustice... dishonor to women...killing... ok, Wufei, stop right there! Be calm, breathe... You can't kill him, cause justice has already been served."  
  
Wufei stopped in the middle of a word. "Huh? How?"  
  
"Ipushedhimoutthewindow," she muttered.   
  
Wufei started to laugh manically as Sally said, "What?"  
  
"I pushed him out the window! It's not funny, baka, stop LAUGHING!" Bridget cried out before burying her head in the pillow. Sally patted her shoulder and shot Wufei a sharp look.   
  
"Wufei, stop. NOW. No, leave. Just leave."   
  
"Wh-what? No, I'll stop!" he said, trying VERY hard not to smile. Sally rolled her eyes.   
  
"Moron," she muttered.   



	8. Sickness of the body... or the mind?

"I can't TAKE this anymore!" Maggie's hand slamming on the table caused Duo to jerk his head up, blinking sleep out of his eyes.   
  
"Jeez, Mag, take a chill pill," he yawned. "I was sleeping!"   
  
"Looks like your girlfriend still is, Maxwell," she retorted, shooting a pointed look at Julie, who was sleeping on Duo's shoulder.   
  
"This is getting ridiculous, guys. Bridget and Kat are constantly avoiding each other. Bridget even mentioned leaving once... thank GOD I was there to talk her out of THAT one."  
  
Relena leaned forward. "Seems to me we have a GIANT case of UST."   
  
Heero frowned when Maggie laughed, nodding. "UST?"   
  
Maggie's grin grew wider, which Trowa, standing against the wall, was glad to see. She had been so worried about Bridget and Kat for the past two weeks, she was hardly eating or sleeping. Neither was Bridget.   
  
"Unresolved Sexual Tension, Heero," Duo said in a worldly tone.   
  
"How do YOU know, Maxwell? Not like you've ever had to deal with it," muttered Julie, eyes fluttering open.  
  
He smirked at her. "Hey, I had to deal with it for a week!"   
  
"You're lucky that I decided to take matters into my OWN hands."   
  
"ENOUGH!"   
  
The two looked at Maggie like a pair of guilty children.   
  
"I am NOT here to talk about your sex life, thank you very much...and I NEVER WILL."   
  
"Thank God," muttered Trowa in assent.   
  
Suddenly the door opened. "Hey, Maggie?" asked a soft voice.  
  
Maggie looked up quickly. "Oh! Hey, B, what's up?"   
  
Relena quickly had to put on her political face mask to cover her shock. Bridget looked terrible. Her face was puffy and there were dark circles under her eyes that were barely covered by makeup.  
  
"Will you spar with me?"   
  
Wufei went to open his mouth, then thought better of it and closed it again.   
  
"Sure, Bridget, but I'd like Wufei to watch, if that's ok with you?"  
  
"Yeah, ok."   
  
"Give me ten minutes?"   
  
"Sure, meet you outside."   
  
The door closed, and Maggie sank into a chair, head in her hands. A fluent chain of cursing came from under her hair.   
  
"Mags?"   
  
She lifted her head wearily to look at Julie.   
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"She's not ready to spar! She's had about 5 hours of sleep, I'm fighting her to eat, it's not good!"  
  
Trowa spoke up from the corner angrily. "Oh, and YOU can spar?"   
  
She spun on him. "What?"   
  
Trowa refused to back down as the others watched, fascinated. "You don't eat, either, and you spend the hours you SHOULD be sleeping watching to make sure Bridget does! You're less fit to spar than she is!"  
  
Maggie glared at him and took a step forward, swaying on her feet slightly. No one saw it, however. "Don't EVER insinuate that I am less than healthy, Barton, or you won't live to regret it," she said in a dangerously low voice.   
  
"I'm not insinuating... I'm TELLING you you're less than healthy."   
  
Maggie simply balled up her fist. "I'm warning you, Trowa..."  
  
"YOU'RE warning ME?"  
  
Boom. Maggie uppercutted him in the jaw and brushed past him to go fight Bridget. Wufei and Relena helped Trowa to his feet, and he was instantly out the door and after Maggie. Wufei followed.   
"Ready, Maggie?" asked Bridget as she saw Maggie storm out of the house.   
  
"Yeah, Bridget, let's go."   
  
They had only been sparring for a few moments when Wufei and Trowa came out, striding toward them quickly. Wufei seemed to be trying to slow Trowa down, to no effect. Maggie and Bridget ignored them. Bridget lashed out with a foot half heartedly, a move Maggie blocked 100% of the time. This time, however, it caught Maggie squarely in the stomach, and she went down. Bridget hurried to her side, knowing something was wrong. Trowa came running, while Wufei turned around and quickly moved back to the house.   
  
"Maggie, you baka, why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well!?"   
  
Maggie tried to push herself up on her elbows with little success. "I feel fine," she said, words slightly slurred.   
  
"Yeah, right," said Bridget, not feeling too well herself. She tried to help Maggie to her feet, which ended with them both on the ground.   
  
"Oh, yeah, THIS worked well," Maggie said sarcastically. Suddenly she was in someone's arms. "What the he- Ok, I'm REALLY high... Trowa, put me down!"   
  
Trowa smirked at her. "Oh, yeah, right. We saw how well you and Bridget managed to stand up, let alone walk."   
  
"We?"   
  
Maggie heard Bridget's weak voice say, "Let me go," and her eyes widened.   
  
"Oh, Trowa, PLEASE don't tell me Kat is the "we" you were talking about."   
  
Trowa shook his head. "I'm not going to lie to make you feel better, sorry. You'd just kill me later for lying, anyway."   
  
"Point," Maggie said, eyes drifting shut.   
  
"Are you ok?" Trowa asked.   
  
"Yeah... just a little dizzy...and if you say I told you so, I swear to God..."  
  
  
"Kat?"   
  
"Yes, Bridget?" he answered after a short, uncomfortable silence.   
  
"I'm sorry."   
  
Kat's eyebrows rose. Bridget's eyes were tightly shut, her face turned into his vest.   
  
"It's ok, Bridget, really," he answered as he and Trowa started up the steps of the house. Relena met them in the entryway. "Dr. Bayth is on her way, Kat."   
  
"Oh, no!" said Maggie. "I don't think so!"   
  
Trowa gave her a sarcastic look that she could feel rather than see, since her eyes were closed. "What are you going to do about it? It's not like you have much strength to begin with at the moment," he pointed out.   
  
"You just wait till tomorrow, Barton," she insisted. "You'll wish you never said that."  
  
At this point, Trowa was laying her down on her bed upstairs, and Kat was doing to same for Bridget. Suddenly Maggie frowned.   
  
"What?" asked Trowa suspiciously.   
  
Maggie reached up and touched the bottom of his jaw. "Sorry," she whispered. It was starting to swell from her earlier punch.   
  
"It... It's ok, Maggie. Kat, I'm going downstairs to wait for Dr. Bayth," he said, quickly leaving.   
  
Kat sighed as Bridget giggled at Trowa's obvious discomfiture. Kat quickly knelt and pulled off Bridget's boots. "There," he said, pulling the covers over her. He followed Bridget's line of sight to Maggie, who seemed to be passed out on the top of her bed.   
  
"Patient #2," he sighed with a smile, moving over to loosen Maggie's boots.   
  
Without opening her eyes, Maggie muttered," "Shut up Kat... I am NOT a patient, and tomorrow I'm gonna be fine, ok?"   
  
"Right," he said as he moved her legs to cover her with the sheet. "You just keep telling yourself that."   
  
"I will," she insisted, eyes opening for a second to glare at him, then closing as she picked up her teddy bear. She had bought it because it looked like her bear from home. He was named, appropriately, 'Mr. Bear.'  
  
Kat turned to frown at Bridget. "Don't you have a stuffed animal?"  
  
"No, I- Kat, where are you going?"   
  
"I'll be back in a minute... just lie still, ok?"  
  
"Sure thing, Quatre Raberba Winner," she said in a sing song voice that made him shiver.   
  
~Oh, no, you don't,~ his mind reprimanded. ~She's sick. Besides, you saw her reaction the last time. FORGET. IT.~  
  
He finally found what he was looking for in a closet. He went back with the object held behind him. He froze in the doorway, though, at the sound of singing coming from the inside. He blinked in surprise as he realized the voice was Bridget's. ~Wow.~  
  
He waited until the song was over to whisper, "Bridget?"   
  
She looked up. "Hey, Kat... what's behind your back?"  
  
He smiled. "A present for you." Bridget looked confused.   
  
"A present? For what?"   
  
~Man, she is OUT of it.~ " Because you didn't threaten Trowa or my life, unlike..."  
  
"Her," Bridget finished triumphantly, pointing at the passed out Maggie.   
  
"And... because I'm sorry," Kat said softly.   
  
Bridget looked solemn. "Well, then, that's that. So, what's my present?"   
  
Kat laughed; she had said it with the earnestness of a child on her birthday. "Here." He took from behind his back a stuffed penguin.  
  
"Ooh!" Bridget's face lit up as she took it. She hugged at and smiled at him. "Thank you for the Quatre-Penguin," she said.   
  
Kat laughed. "What, are you naming it after me?" he asked.   
  
"Yup," she answered as she reached up to unbraid one of her pigtails.   
  
"Here, I'll do it," Kat offered.  
  
"Sure, thanks," Bridget said, moving over on the bed so he could sit behind her.   
  
"Hey, Bridget?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What were you singing when I came in?" he ventured.   
  
"Huh? Oh, that? That's 'White Reflection.' I was singing it in Japanese to help Mags sleep... she's used to it... but I could sing it in English if you like."  
  
"Yes, please."  
  
I feel your love reflection   
Far away painted in your eyes   
as you gaze back at me  
Never ending story…   
The wings of courage you gave to me, I spread them open in my heart; Their fluttering seems to shake off the sadness and painful scars…   
Ah, I want to feel the pain of the pulsing,  
The shining of the irreplaceable --- of irreplaceable love   
  
I feel your love reflection  
Pile up the dreams ever thickly   
The young ones who desire each other --- fearless of making mistakes!  
I feel your love reflection   
Far away painted in your eyes   
as you gaze back at me   
Never ending story…   
I want to softly communicate to your bare skin the feelings that are spilling over,   
As if hugging close the strength to become gentle…   
Ah, I just want to nobly and lithely   
overcome this unstable age --- these unstable days…   
I feel your love reflection   
The truth of our acceptance of each other   
Kiss me --- and there's nothing else that I'll need!   
I feel your love reflection   
Believe in the passion that will not give up   
Our piercing through the eternal battle   
Never ending story…   
I feel your love reflection   
Pile up the dreams ever thickly   
The young ones who desire each other --- fearless of making mistakes! I feel your love reflection  
Far away painted in your eyes   
as you gaze back at me   
  
Kat had finished unbraiding and brushing her hair and just sat listening to her, barely breathing. She finished and realized this, turning around to take her hand. "Kat?"   
He slowly opened his eyes and whispered, "What?"  
  
Bridget kissed his cheek. "Thank you." She turned back around and leaned backwards, resting her head on his shoulder.   
  
~This isn't fair.~  
  
"Quatre," she said, playing with his hand as she looked up at him and moved closer.   
  
"Don't do that," he muttered softly.   
  
"Oookkkkk," she said, hugging the penguin close and closing her eyes softly. Soon she fell asleep.   
  
~Allah, this is NOT funny.~ "Why am I being tortured?" he asked the ceiling. Bridget sighed contentedly in her sleep. He looked down and smiled. She looked so pretty with her hair down.   
  
~Definitely NOT fair,~ he decided.   
  
"Quatre?" asked an amused voice. His head shot up and he blushed furiously at the sight of Dr. Bayth and Rashid in the doorway.   
  
"Doyouneedmetostaycauseifyoudon'tIthinkI'mgonnagonow," he said in a rush, easing out from behind Bridget.   
  
She made a sound in her throat and her eyes fluttered open. "Kat?"   
  
"Shh. Dr. Bayth is here. I'm going to let her look at you in peace. I'll come back to visit you later, ok?"   
  
"Promise?"   
  
"Yeah, I promise."  
  
"Ok, Quatre. Bye."  
  
"Bye," he said... and Rashid noted the involuntary shiver that went through him before he left.   
  
"Nice to see he has the same hormones as any 15 year old boy might," chuckled Dr. Bayth as she went to close the door.   
  
After a swift examination, Dr. Bayth confirmed their suspicion. "You girls are very lucky it's not worse. How long have you been sick.. and be truthful," she aimed at a squirming Maggie.   
  
"Only two weeks," said Bridget.   
  
"Maggie?"   
  
"Amonthandahalf."   
  
"Maggie!"  
  
"Oh. leave me alone, it was just a cold."   
  
"Well, cold or no, it did its job. A month of bedrest, and take your medicine."  
  
"A MONTH?!"   
  
"Maggie."  
  
"Yes, Dr. Bayth," she muttered.   
  
~*~ Meanwhile ~*~   
  
Kat went downstairs at a run, pausing only to glare at Trowa, whose was lounging on the couch. "Chicken," he spat as he went past him, out the glass doors, and into the pool... fully clothed.   
  
Dr. Bayth came down to find a dripping Kat yelling at Trowa. "It's just not fair! Shut up, Trowa! Why don't YOU go up there while MAGGIE'S sick and see how long you last!"   
  
"With this reminder?" Trowa pointed to his jaw. "Uh-uh. Not until I have to-"  
  
"Trrrroooooooowwwaaaa," came a voice from upstairs. Kat snickered at the horrified look on Trowa's face.   
  
"Maggie's calling you," he said pointedly.   
  
"No. Way."  
  
"Trowa... come here for a sec... I need to ask you somtin..."  
  
Kat pushed him to the stairwell. "Go."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. A few More revelations for both guys and...

"Go," said Kat, pushing at Trowa.   
  
"Do I have to?" he asked petulantly.   
  
"YES."  
  
"Why?"   
  
"Trowa, I could give you a hundred and fifty reasons, but the only one that's gonna work is the one you don't want to hear, so just GO!"   
  
Wufei had come in and was watching the proceedings with a half smirk. "What's wrong, Barton? Onna got the better of you?"   
  
Trowa glared at him and took the steps two at a time after Maggie yelled, " Trowa, if you don't get up here, I'm coming down, and YOU can explain to Dr. Bayth why I'm out of bed!"  
  
Wufei looked at Kat. "What's with him? And why are you soaking wet?"  
  
"Two words. Don't. Ask," Kat said, also climbing the stairs.   
  
"Where are YOU going?"   
  
"To change," was the short answer.   
  
  
Trowa cautiously looked in the girls' room. Maggie caught sight of him. "Finally. Get in here... PLEASE," she finished, shooting a sour look at Bridget, who smiled sweetly over her penguin's head.   
  
"Was that so hard to add on?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
Trowa cleared his throat.   
  
"Oh! I forgot! Trowa..."   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"Could you do me a favor and get me a stuffed animal, cause I have Mr. Bear, and Bridget has Quatre Penguin (she smirked at the name again, as did Trowa) and plus I have a bunny and a duck, and we're starting a zoo to occupy our time... supposedly so we don't bug you guys, but I'm guessing that plan went out the window, Pidge?"   
  
"Pidge?" asked Trowa, not fazed in the slightest by Maggie's garbled monologue as Bridget glared at Maggie's joke.   
  
"Oh! We were trying to figure out a nickname for her, and Pidge is perfect because it's both shorter and the nickname of Lady in Bridget's favorite movie."  
  
Deciding not to pursue the subject, he asked, "What kind of animal do you want?"   
  
"Huh? Oh, anything but a bear, duck, bunny, or penguin. A cat would be nice. I'm SO tired!"   
  
Trowa shook his head at her wandering mind. "So go to sleep. Doctor Bayth said you'd both be tired from the medicine."  
  
"Right, I forgot." Trowa felt a chill of fear; She'd never been this out of it before. He opened his mouth to say something; realized she was already asleep.  
  
"She'll be fine, Trowa," said Bridget quietly.   
  
Trowa kept his eyes on Maggie, nodded, then turned to her. "You, too, I hope?"   
  
"Of course. We're both alike in that. We're indestructible. Now, if I were you, I'd get that animal. Hint: Buy a tiger."   
  
Trowa, not questioning Bridget's wisdom, thanked her and left. As he sped down the stairs, he passed Wufei, who was smirking. "Where are you going to in such a hurry, Barton?" he asked, thinking he knew the answer.   
  
Trowa gave him a rare smirk of his own. "Maggie wants a stuffed animal, and I'll be damned if there isn't one waiting for her when she wakes up." Then he was out the door.   
  
"Smart move, Trowa," remarked Kat from upstairs as he went to stick his head in the girls' room.   
  
He came downstairs in time to hear Wufei remark to Heero, "They let those damn women run their lives. I can't understand it."   
  
"Well, Wufei, I see there is no way you WOULD understand," Kat said coldly. "I mean, your first marriage was arranged, wasn't it? You're not exactly open to people, even your friends. You don't even know what love is." His precise phrasing and clipped tone went right through Wufei, who clenched his fists.   
  
"Winner, where the hell do you get off saying this? Do you know what love is anymore than I do?"   
  
Kat folded his arms. "I know the love of friends, the respect of enemies... I love and respect everyone around me, even those I must condemn to death. I ACCEPT the love of others, and give it to them back..."  
  
"Could've fooled me, Kat, considering the girl who happens to love you is upstairs and you haven't really done a damn thing about it!" Wufei shot back... then immediately seemed to regret his words.   
  
Kat's eyes glinted, but before he could reply a voice came from the stairs, "Um, guys?"   
  
Without taking his eyes off Wufei, Kat said, "Go back to bed, please, Bridget. Why are you up?"   
  
"Um, well, you guys are making a lot of noise, and MAGGIE may sleep like the dead, but I don't, and... Quatre, what are you doing?"   
  
Kat had gone over to Bridget, who was clinging on to the banister for support, and swept her up. "Taking you back to bed," he said curtly.  
  
"All right... oh, hi, Wufei!" She waved at him over Kat's shoulder, and he nodded to her.   
  
"Perhaps that will move them both," Heero said thoughtfully from the shadows.   
  
"We can only hope," Wufei answered solemnly.   
  
  
As Kat went inside, he threw a quick look at the sleeping Maggie, his mind still boiling.   
  
~How dare he?~ he fumed. ~Of course I like Bridget, but she doesn't like me back, obviously! Wufei had no right to say that. None. At. All.~  
  
"Quatre? What's wrong? Why were you and Wufei fighting?" Bridget asked weakly as he placed her on the bed again.   
  
"Why did you get out of bed, Bridget?" he asked, more harshly than he had intended. She flinched at his tone, and his face softened. "I'm sorry, Bridget, I'm just tense. Seriously, though, you should be more careful, or we might have to lock the two of you in here."   
  
Bridget clutched his shirt in mock panic. "Oh, no! Don't lock me in here with HER!" she cried softly, laughing. The laugh faded on her lips as Kat leaned forward and kissed her. This kiss was hard, not questioning; as if trying to prove to her that he liked her.   
  
Then, without a word, he left the room.   
  
Bridget stared at the door for a moment, and Maggie's voice came from the other bed, very low, "Chicken."   
  
"What?"   
  
Maggie sat up. "I saw the whole thing, Bridget. You should have kissed him back."  
  
"What?! I- I can't!"   
  
Maggie sighed and put her arms around her knees. "Bridget, if he kissed you again AFTER shoving him out the window, it has to mean SOMETHING."   
  
Bridget's eyes were wide. "Oh, my God, he's gonna hate me again."   
  
"No, Bridget, he is NOT going to hate you. Do we have to go through THIS again?"   
  
  
Kat, who had turned to actually lock the door, caught the sound of Maggie's voice and paused, curious. He stood there and listened intently.   
  
Bridget sighed. "No, we don't. I know Kat likes me. And I like him, too, it's just that... well, you know no one's ever liked me before, unless..."  
  
"Kindergarten does NOT count."   
  
"All right, no one has ever liked me before."  
  
Maggie frowned. "No one's ever liked me before, either."  
  
Bridget grinned evilly. "Unless you count Dave..."  
  
Maggie cut off the last name. "That does NOT count, and you know it."   
  
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."   
  
"Hey, DON'T change the subject! This is about you. THEN we can talk about me."  
  
Bridget grinned. "Promise?"   
  
"Yeah, yeah, but are you going to listen to me?"   
  
"Go ahead, I'm listening."  
  
"Kat likes you. He's smart, and nice, and kind... it doesn't hurt that he's good looking, either... don't get me wrong, though..."   
  
Bridget waved her down. "You're stating facts, I can deal."   
  
"Ok, then, let's look at the facts. Kat likes you. You like him. He's tried twice to kiss you, with less than satisfactory responses. My guess is that if you don't do something soon, he's going to give up. Is that what you want?"  
  
"NO!"   
  
"GOOD! Then LISTEN. Don't be so shy with him. I know you can't help it, but consciously make the effort, at least. Either that or talk to him about it and explain."  
  
"Oh, I could never do THAT."   
  
"I know."  
  
Bridget said testily, "Are we finished?"   
  
"Yup... uh-oh." Maggie eyed Bridget, who was rubbing her hands together.   
  
"Ready?"   
  
Maggie closed her eyes, put her hands behind her back, and took a ready stance. "Shoot."   
  
"You're too tough."   
  
Maggie's eyes flew open. "WHAT?!"   
  
Bridget giggled. "Trowa's practically afraid of you... ok, he IS afraid of you! How are you going to get anywhere like THAT?"   
  
Maggie sighed. "I know. I know. But I'm not tough where I should be, Pidge."   
  
"Maggie, you are way too hard on yourself. Trowa likes you, but you don't give him ANY encouragement.. unless you count the day of the pool party."  
  
"Very funny... NOT. Pidge, you know I can't help it!"  
  
"No more than I can help being shocked when Kat kisses me... stuff we have to deal with!"  
  
Maggie carefully got out of her bed. She spit in her palm as she made her way over to Bridget.   
  
"We deal with it. Sworn?"   
  
Kat listened in curious fascination tot the sound of Bridget spitting in her own hand and slapping Maggie's.  
  
"Sworn."  
  
"Good. Now I'm going to die. If I have any messages, or Trowa comes back with that stuffed animal, just have him forward it to me c/o Duo, k?"   
  
Bridget giggled. "Sure thing, but how do you know I won't be with you?"   
  
"Good point. Perhaps we'll just wait on this one."  
  
"Ok."   
  
Kat quietly made his way down the stairs, a huge grin on his face. Trowa was just coming in the door, holding a small bag. "TROWA!" he called softly. "I need to talk to you!"   
  
Trowa warily eyed Kat's excessively cheery expression. "Ooooookkkk. Go ahead."   
  
"No, no, not here. Come on," he dragged him into the living room.   
  
As soon as they got in Kat turned to him. "They're AFRAID!"  
  
Trowa looked at him blankly. "Huh?"   
  
"Bridget and Maggie!" He quickly filled Trowa in. and watched a smile spread across his friend's face as he finished, "So they DO like us."   
  
Wufei was standing in the doorway. "Wait a minute. You two bakas are actually PLANNING to get with these two?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Alright. Winner, I see where you're coming from. That one's just a LITTLE psychotic... most likely residue from the other two. But Barton, you should get your head examined. Seriously. That one is CRAZY. Homicidal. Nuts."  
  
"I know," Trowa said calmly with a grin.   
  
Wufei shook his head. "Ok, that's it, you're both crazy."  
  
"What about Duo?" asked Kat with a grin. Wufei snorted.   
  
"Maxwell's been crazy since the day he was spawned, but, since the red haired onna keeps him busy and out of my sight almost 24/7, she can stay as long as she wants."  
  
  



	10. Missions

Maggie yawned and opened her eyes, frowned when she saw it was the middle of the day... tried to get up... then remembered exactly WHY she was in bed in the middle of the day. "Owww...." she moaned. She turned over to see Bridget, already up in the other bed, raise an eyebrow pointedly at her nightstand. Maggie turned, then squealed, hands immediately reaching for the stuffed tiger sitting on it.   
  
"Oooh!" She hugged it, seeing that the part of the tag which read, "My name is ________" remained blank. She reached over and grabbed her trusty pen, opening it with a decisive ::click::   
  
She swiftly penned in the name "Trowa" and replaced the pen. Then she looked at Bridget, who obediently covered her ears.   
  
  
"TTTTTTTTRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAA!!!"   
  
The other four guys and Julie, gathered downstairs, jumped in surprise, but Trowa merely grinned and moved toward the stairs. "She's up," he said.   
  
"Thank you, Mr. Obvious," said Heero dryly, gingerly touching his ears.   
  
  
"Trowa!"   
  
He stuck his head inside. "That what you wanted?"   
  
Maggie grinned at him over the tiger's head. "It's PERFECT."  
  
He smiled at her. "Glad you like it." He started to leave.   
  
Maggie's mind was racing. She heard Bridget's voice, ~ Trowa likes you, but you don't give him ANY encouragement.~  
  
"Trowa, wait a sec!" she called. "Come here."   
  
He came over and bent down obediently. She surprised him completely by throwing her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek with a broken, "Thank you."   
  
He let his arms go around her waist for a minute to hug her, then let her go, said, "You're welcome," and left. He paused at the top of the stairs and listened. Sure enough, soon there was laughter... a thump... and he heard Maggie shriek, "Oh, screw you, Pidge, go away and leave me alone!" The last few words were muffled.   
  
Trowa went down the stairs with a smile and said to Kat in passing, "You might want to go up there before Maggie kills Bridget."   
~*§*~*§*~  
  
About two days later, Heero called a Gundam meeting.   
  
"Aw, c'mon, Heero, why do we have to have this stupid meeting anyway? Or at least why couldn't Julie come in?" Duo whined.   
  
Heero looked at him coldly. "One: This meeting is important; we have a mission. Two: She'd be more of distraction, and you're distracted enough as it is. Three: Julie CAN'T come in because this is top secret, which is why I waited for the OTHER ONE to be confined to her bed to hold it." He glanced at Trowa out of the corner of his eye, who smirked.   
  
Although the others sensed nothing amiss, Kat did, and asked hesitantly, "Just how dangerous is this mission?"   
  
Heero sighed, which sent the others to full alert.   
  
"Oh, crap, this is BAD," moaned Duo. "I mean, like, I better call my maid in hell and have her air out my rooms, right?"   
  
Heero nodded grimly. "Chance of death: 49%. Chance of Capture: 49%. Chance of us getting out injured: 1.5%. Chance of us getting out unscathed: .5%."  
  
"I'd say the odds are against us," Wufei remarked.   
  
"Gee, ya THINK?" asked Duo sarcastically, definitely pissed. Heero looked over at Kat and Trowa. Kat was VERY pale, and Trowa... he SEEMED ok, but Heero knew his thoughts were upstairs as much as his own were with Relena....  
  
~Whoa, where did THAT come from?~ he thought, quickly chasing it from his mind. He outlined the plan, and it became more obvious with each word that this was a suicide mission... because the Gundams would never allow themselves to be captured.   
  
"It's set, then? We go?" asked Heero with only the barest hesitation.   
  
"Go," said Wufei.  
  
"Go," forced out Quatre.   
  
"Go," said Trowa, face more blank than they had ever seen it.   
  
"Go," sighed Duo. Abruptly he rose and went to go.   
  
"Duo!"   
  
He turned to Heero.   
  
"Don't tell the girls... it will only make it harder."  
  
Duo nodded... then, with a small shout of anger, punched through the wall and left.   
  
Almost a week passed. Julie noticed something was wrong, but didn't press. Kat and Trowa couldn't bring themselves to stay in Bridget and Maggie's room for more than a minute at a time, but the girls were so out of it that they didn't really notice.  
  
  
  
~*~ Hours until Mission: Three ~*~   
  
A shadow snuck into Quatre's house, moving carefully. It moved to Duo Maxwell's room quickly, ready to leave him a note. Then, however, the man stopped dead in his tracks.  
  
In front of him was Duo Maxwell and a girl... a familiar looking girl...for a moment he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him... then he realized the truth, and his fist tightened around the note he was holding.   
  
"Julie," the man whispered, bowing his head for a second. Then he spun and moved to the warehouse that stored the Gundams.   
  
A half an hour later he was slipping through the shadows again, his new ...personal... mission completed.   
  
  
  
A/N: Alright, minna! Listen up. I need to know... who do you want to know about.... Quatre/Bridget, Trowa/Maggie, or Duo/Julie?  
  
It WILL make the difference in the order of the next few chapters.... just so you know that.   
  
Arigatou!  
  
Angels of Fate  
  
PS: Angels can NOT vote, their votes will NOT count ::cough:: JulieandBridget ::cough::   
  



	11. When in doubt... lock 'em up!

  
  
  
: "Damn it, it's HOT!" Maggie complained from her bed.   
  
Her covers were on the floor and she was sprawled across her bed sideways. Bridget was already asleep.   
  
"Lucky bitch," Maggie muttered before gathering her strength to go to her dresser. She opened the top drawer and pulled out a pale blue silk sleeveless nightgown with darker flowers all over it. The heavy T-shirt and shorts she was wearing just wasn't cutting it. She changed and climbed back into bed, shaking slightly from the effort. She got a grip on her bear and almost immediately fell asleep.   
  
"If you guys want to get in good-byes... WITHOUT WAKING ANYONE UP, do it now," said Heero. The guys were all in those black flight suits(Authoresses: *drool*;p) and standing around waiting for Duo, who had disengaged himself from Julie's 'deathgrip' in her sleep reluctantly to go on a mysterious errand.   
  
Kat and Trowa exchanged looks and started to head up the stairs.   
  
"I hope this doesn't effect their judgment today," said Wufei.   
  
"It won't," came the surprising comment from Heero. "They're too good at letting things go for that."   
  
  
"You go first."   
  
"No, YOU."   
  
"Bridget will wake up, you HAVE to go first. Maggie sleeps like the dead."   
Trowa tried to think of a suitable comeback ( a.k.a. excuse) and failed, which Kat acknowledged with a grin.   
  
"Go."   
  
"Oh, hell!" said Trowa in defeat, heading for the door. Kat respectfully kept his distance.   
  
Trowa carefully pushed the door open. The first thing he saw was Maggie's shorts and shirt lying on the floor. ( A/N: Giggling insanely :p) He closed his eyes for an instant in relief as he saw a hint of blue on Maggie's shoulder. Then he headed in.   
  
Trowa stood over her, trying to figure out what looked odd about what he was seeing. Finally it clicked. "She looks so.... peaceful," he whispered to himself, carefully seating himself on the edge of her bed. He disentangled the covers from around her and set them straight. Then he leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently. Her eyelashes fluttered for an instant, and he held his breath. She remained asleep, however, and he let it out and moved to leave.   
  
About halfway to the door, he realized that this was almost definitely the last time he would ever see her, and he did an abrupt about face. He leaned back over her, let out another "Oh, hell," and kissed her on the lips. He pulled back and whispered involuntarily, "I love you." His eyes widened in shock as he realized what he had said, and they widened even more as he thought he heard a small gasp come from Bridget's direction.   
  
He spun around, but saw only Bridget sleeping peacefully. He sighed and, without looking back, he headed for the door. As he passed the dresser, he saw a glint of light: Maggie's silver cross. She almost never took it off, yet there it was, right next to Bridget's Mary necklace. His hand shot out and snatched it up, quickly opening the clasp to fasten it around his neck. As he left the room he tucked the cross under his flightsuit, but Kat saw it and smiled.  
  
~I knew it, Trowa,~ he thought with admiration... for he was PLANNING to do the same thing with the Mary necklace.   
  
  
"Well?" Trowa said, coming up to him.  
  
"Well what?" Kat asked. Trowa glared at him and Kat shuffled toward the door.   
  
"Fine, I'm going, I'm going."  
  
  
He shut the door softly behind him and looked at Bridget's necklace. It was a simply chained, small, heart shaped pendant w/ Mary in the middle. There was some writing on it but it was too small to read. He put it around his neck and under his flightsuit and sat  
down next to Bridget. He brushed some of her hair away from her face very gently and then smirked to see the stuffed present he'd given her only a few weeks  
before. He sighed softly then bent down and kissed her forehead.   
  
  
"Goodbye, my tenshi." He whispered. He wasn't sure why the Japanese word for angel came to his mind, but at that moment it seemed to fit. He was almost at the door when he heard his name called faintly. "Yes, Bridget?" he said.  
  
"What's going on?" She asked as she sat up.  
  
"Nothing...."  
  
"Don't lie to me Quatre. I know something's going on so you might as well...you're going on a mission, aren't you? Kat, come over here. QUATRE!"   
  
Kat shut his eyes and walked out the door, locking it behind.   
  
"Go back to sleep Bridget. I'll be back soon." He shut his eyes at the thought of how much he was lying to her at that moment, but he had to. She'd be fine, she didn't need him. He walked downstairs. "Let's go."  
  
"We can't leave yet, Maxwell still isn't here." Wufei said with a frown.   
  
Duo laid the package next to Julie and sighed. She was sleeping soundly. He smiled as he stroked her hair, then looked at the space next to her to see a green scrunchie there. He picked it up and put it in his pocket.   
  
He kissed her softly and walked out of the room. He walked down the stairs and sat at the bottom of them. Wufei had been ready to chide him but shut his mouth and walked to the door. The others all got up and slowly followed in suit, Duo got up last and looked again upstairs. He shook his head and went outside.   
  
Bridget sat on her bed with a shocked look on her face. She'd heard the door click and was trying to decide on what to do. She heard the door shut downstairs and rolled out of the bed . She was able to make it to the window in time to see them get in their Gundams. She slid down the wall by the window, tears in her eyes.   
  
"You jerk," she whispered. "Quatre, you stupid jerk. How could you leave like that...I didn't get to say...I didn't get to do..." she simply started crying and instantly felt even more stupid and helpless. Soon after she feel asleep against the wall.   
  
  
  



	12. Never send a BOY to do a woman's job

Two weeks later the girls looked up as Heero slammed through the door, gasping.   
  
"What the… Heero!"   
  
He ignored them, storming up the stairs.   
  
Bridget looked up the stairs after him. "HEERO!"   
  
With difficultly, he turned. "What?" he grated.   
  
Bridget faced him, eyes hard. "Where are the others?"   
  
"They've been caught… along with their Gundams," he said shortly, going upstairs.   
  
Maggie, Bridget, Julie, and Sally exchanged odd looks before Julie burst into tears.   
  
"Julie, SHUT UP!" She stopped, confused, and looked at Maggie with hesitation.   
  
"Uh… but…"   
  
"We'll get them back," said Bridget with all certainty.   
  
They looked at her.   
  
"Come on, I've got a plan."   
  
Heero looked up in alarm… he heard sounds coming from the training room. With difficulty he said goodbye to Relena and got up, stiffly working his way to the training room. He pushed the door open to see an astonishing sight…. No, Maggie hitting the punching bag was quite common… but Bridget shooting a gun at a target and hitting the bull's eye EVERY TIME wasn't.   
  
"What the…"   
  
"Heero, go away," Maggie hissed between her teeth as she slammed her foot into the wobbling bag, finally knocking it over… and Julie with it.   
  
"Ow!"   
  
"SUCK IT UP, YOU BABY."   
  
"Hey, I'm going to be in a freakin' mobile suit!"   
  
"Logic? From YOU?"   
  
"Shaddup, you guys, we have things to do. Go get ready, you have ten minutes," Bridget ordered.   
  
"But I need to do my HAIR!" wailed Julie.   
  
"Fine. Fifteen. A FAST fifteen minutes."   
  
"OK!"  
  
Heero, curious, followed Bridget out to the phone, where she quickly dialed a number. "Sally? Uh-Huh…. Uh-huh…. right… good… ETA 2 hours. Bye, Sally."   
  
Heero spun away and moved to the arsenal. He heard clicks and peeked around to see Maggie loading a ZMG with accuracy and deadly precision. She had about 5 daggers with black handles hanging from her belt, until they were covered by the trench coat.   
  
"What the HELL is going ON!?"  
  
Maggie turned. "Saving the Gundam pilots and their suits. Why do you want to know?"   
  
"Are you N- well, who's heading this mission?"   
  
"Bridget."   
  
"Bridget."   
  
"Yes."   
  
"This is…"   
  
"I don't need this right now, Yuy."   
  
"I'm going, too."  
  
"Like hell."  
  
"I'm GOING. If you three..."  
  
"Four."  
  
"If you FOUR are going to be fighting, who's going to sneak in and shut down security?"   
  
"M-" Maggie avoided Heero's smug look.   
  
"Besides, who's going to stop me?" he added   
  
"Fine! Come if you have to, but-"   
  
An earth shattering scream yelling her name made Maggie's head snap up.  
  
"SHIT! Heero, you ass, now I'm LATE!" She tore out of the room at a dead run.   
  
  
~*~  
  
Trieze turned to face the Gundam pilots smugly. "Are you enjoying the presence of our spies?" he asked nonchalantly.  
  
Wufei's eyes narrowed, but Quatre spoke up first. "They're not spies."   
  
"And how can you be so sure?" Trieze asked maliciously.   
  
"Well, let's see... one's been making out with Duo so long that they could have done this a LONG time ago," stated Kat matter of factly.  
  
Duo went to open his mouth, but was stopped by Trowa's, "You know it's true, Duo, don't deny it."  
  
"Nope, can't deny it, but at least I've got the balls to get MY girl, unlike YOU three ...and Kamikaze boy," he chuckled.  
  
"Maxwell..." warned Wufei as Trieze though, ~Who can I use against who... the red head has to be with 02.~  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," tried Wufei.  
  
"I know a secret," sang out Quatre.   
  
"You know NOTHING, Winner!"   
  
"Bridget figures this stuff out..."  
  
"That baka onna? Please."   
  
"Don't call her stupid. She's smarter than YOU, PLUS she's the only one of those girls who won't kick your ass, and you know it!" Kat retorted hotly.   
  
~The sniper is with 04.~ Before they could continue, there was an alarm sounded throughout the compound.   
  
"You're joking," snapped Trieze into his comm, spinning to view the screen of a single mobile suit taking down Oz MS after Oz MS.   
  
"That's my girlfriend! Goooooooo, Julie! Oh yeah, Shinigami's chick is kickin all ya asses!" cried Duo excitedly.   
"Yes, Lady Une, come up," said Trieze, ignoring Duo as he switched to hall view to monitor her progress. Suddenly, though, another figure joined Une in the hall.   
  
"Maggie?!" asked the four pilots simultaniously.  
  
"Little girl," Une greeted her.   
  
"Bitch," Maggie returned.   
  
"Oooh, Une's going DOWN. Cat fight! Mrowwwww!"   
  
Trieze and Trowa both glared at Duo, who immediately shut up.   
  
"I owe you for that 'training,' Maggie said sarcastically, sliding off her jacket. Une did the same.   
  
"And I owe you for that escape," Une answered, a split second later leaping for Maggie's throat. Maggie ducked and kicked out, catching Une in the chest and throwing her backwards. They winced as Une's hand shot out, catching Maggie in the stomach and throwing her into the wall. They heard a loud crack, and Trowa swore under his breath.   
  
~Ah. The little one with 03.~  
  
Maggie quickly reoriented herself and stood loose and ready as Une jumped for her again. Maggie sidestepped and kicked Une's knee with sharp precision as she barreled past. The boys in the other room heard a wet :snap: as the kick connected, and Une went down.  
  
"You BITCH," gasped Une, blood pouring from her leg.   
  
"Good girl, Mags," said a voice from the doorway, and the others heard Kat gasp in disbelief, "BRIDGET?!"  
  
  
  
  



	13. Weapon of Choice: Confusion




	14. Ack! Pure Fluff Alert!

"Let us OUT!" screamed Maggie angrily at the door.  
  
~Thank you, Duo, for this opportunity when she can't get away from me,~ thought Trowa as he rose and placed his hand on Maggie's shoulder.  
  
"Maggie. We need to talk."  
  
"Not now, Trowa, I- TROWA!"  
  
Trowa grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, pinning her to the wall in one swift move. "Now," he said levelly.  
  
Maggie stopped struggling and glared into his eyes. "Let. Me. Go."  
  
"Nope, not going to work this time, my little one," he mocked, wondering where his will to live had gone.  
  
Her eyes narrowed even more. "How dare you!"  
  
"Are you going to listen to me, or do I have to stay this way for the rest of my life?" She tried to hit him, and he caught her wrists, pinning them above her head. "Oh, no. We ARE going to discuss this."  
  
"I have nothing to discuss with you."  
  
"Aren't you even the least bit curious as to what I have to say?"  
  
"No," she insisted, closing her eyes.  
  
"Not even what in hell possessed me to kiss you before?"  
  
Maggie felt his breath on her lips, even though she refused to look at him in her surprise.  
  
"Or what possesses me to do this?" he asked, barely touching her lips with his own. Her eyes flew open.  
  
"TROWA!"  
  
"No. I talk, you listen. I'm sick of this. I'm taking matters into my own hands this time, since you can't run away from me. You are the most intriguing girl I've ever met in my life. You're pret- beautiful, you're smart, you're strong... but you are missing something, Maggie."  
  
"I'm missing nothing," she spat, suddenly wondering why she was fighting him so hard... after she had told Bridget she wouldn't.  
  
"Sure. Ok. I'll TELL you what you're missing. Love."  
  
"Love?! My friends love me... even if they deny it. I don't need more than that."  
  
"YES, YOU DO."  
  
"From who?" she asked sarcastically.  
  
"From ME."  
  
Maggie gave a derisive laugh that almost covered the unsteady waver in her voice. Love? Dating, maybe, but love? "Ha! You actually think you love me, don't you?"  
  
"No, I don't." Maggie blinked, and the flicker of uncontrolled disappointment made Trowa continue, knowing he had won. "I KNOW I love you."  
  
"You WHAT?"  
  
Trowa lowered his head to put his nose against Maggie's, looking deep into her stunned blue eyes. "I love you. Don't you know that?"  
  
She closed her eyes for a second, and opened them to see his intense green gaze, begging her to admit it.  
  
"Yes," she whispered. "I know."  
  
"Then why are you so scared?"  
  
She decided to be honest. "I'm afraid of getting hurt, Trowa. I've had to play 'Dear Abby' to too many friends to kid myself into thinking that it couldn't happen to me."  
  
Trowa let Maggie's wrists go and put his hands on her shoulders. "I would NEVER hurt you. You've... you've made me realize that I was missing the feeling in my life. I was missing YOU." He smiled wryly. "Fighting is just an added bonus."  
  
Maggie smiled, making the choice she knew she might regret, and, at the moment, not caring. She reached up and tangled her fingers in the back of his thick hair. You know what?"  
  
"What?" he asked, unnerved for the moment.  
  
She smiled brilliantly as she pulled his mouth to hers. "To hell with sanity," she murmured against his lips.  
  
"Whoa!" screeched Duo as the others spun around to see what he was sputtering about. "Go, Trowa!"  
  
Wufei raised his eyebrows. "Interesting."  
  
"Damn took them long enough," muttered Julie.  
  
Trowa pulled away and breathed, "Maggie?"  
  
"Wh-what?"  
  
He chuckled. "I'm getting a crick in my neck."  
  
"Mmm... very funny..." She let out a squeal as Trowa scooped her up. "What are you doing?!"  
  
"Bringing you up to my level," he said before capturing her lips again.  
  
She moved away from his lips and to his ear, whispering, "Trowa?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
She tightened her arms about his neck and murmured, "I love you."  
  
His arms tightened around her almost painfully. "I love you, too." Trowa's hand hit the gun holster she wore on her hip constantly. "Maggie?"  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"You think that if Duo and Julie locked us in here, they have a way to see what we're doing?"  
  
"A camera," she murmured, her voice very low.  
  
"Where?"  
  
Maggie lifted her face and scanned the room. She moved back to her resting place. "Upper left hand corner. Not very well concealed, I might add."  
  
"All right," he said, slowly sliding her gun from its holster.  
  
"Do it," she said softly.  
  
Trowa raised the gun and placed one precise bullet through the lens of the camera without looking. "Problem solved," he whispered.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Trowa shot the damn camera!!!"  
  
"What do you mean he shot it?" asked a confused Sally.  
  
"He shot the damn thing with Maggie's gun! Damn him, it was just getting GOOD," Duo wailed.  
  
Finally, Trowa put Maggie down and stepped back, running his eyes over her intently.  
  
"Stop looking at me like that," she said weakly.  
  
"Like what?" he asked innocently.  
  
"Like you're about to jump me or something," she said, trying to fix her hair and clothes.  
  
Trowa put his arms around her again. "So, how am I supposed to look?" he asked her.  
  
She pushed at his arms half-heartedly. "Does this mean you won't be able to keep your hands off me now, like Duo with Julie?"  
  
"Basically, yes," he said.  
  
"Ok, that's it. I'm outta here, because if I stay, I am NOT responsible for what happens, Trowa Barton," she said, sliding her small body out of his hold. She moved over to the door and examined the old fashioned lock.  
  
"Trowa?"  
  
He came up behind her. "Hmm?"  
  
"I need you to undo one of my braids."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I need the hairpin from the middle of it, please." She felt his fingers working gently through her hair, parting the strands and pulling the pin.  
  
"Here you go," he said.  
  
"Thanks." She took the pin and straightened it out, inserting it into the lock carefully. Then she gave it a sharp twist, and Trowa heard a click. She twisted the knob and swung the door open with a flourish. "Ta-da!"  
  
Trowa smiled. "You're a genius."  
  
She turned around and kissed his cheek. "Flattery," she informed him, "will get you everywhere."  
  
"That's what I was hoping for," he said solemnly. She gave him a shove.  
  
"Control your hormones, Barton, and I'll control mine."  
  
"But I don't want you to control yours."  
  
"Yes, you do," she assured him. "Trust me."  
  
"Oh, no. I don't," he said, giving her a nudge that sent her weight onto her right ankle. He saw Maggie grit her teeth.  
  
"What's wrong," he stated rather than asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"What's wrong with your ankle?"  
  
"Nothi- Trowa!  
  
He knelt down quickly, pulling off one of her boots. He moved the sock to see a quickly swelling and discolored ankle. He looked up at her and sighed. "Maggie!"  
  
"Wh-" She was cut off as he swiftly rose and scooped her up into his arms gently.  
  
"Why didn't you TELL me?" he asked as he headed off down the hallway.  
  
She smiled wryly. "And interrupt that wonderful 'discussion' we were having? Not a chance."  
  
"I meant BEFORE, when Sally asked who was injured."  
  
"I'll be fine... the swelling will go down, the bruising will fade."  
  
"No, Maggie. Please." She looked into his worried face. She was touched that he was so concerned.  
  
"I knew the day would come when a guy dictated my life to me," she sighed, mock resignedly.  
  
Trowa shook his head. "No. I just don't want to lose you, ever."  
  
"Trowa, an injured ankle is not life threatening.'  
  
"I know... but I'm afraid that someday you'll let something go that will be."  
  
Maggie raised her hand and placed it on his cheek. "I promise you, Trowa," she said seriously, "that you will never lose me like that. No, that you will NEVER lose me. Period."  
  
Trowa smiled at the thought. "You say that, but... as much as you like to affirm the contrary, you're not omnipotent."  
  
Maggie sighed. "I know, I know. That... That's why I originally didn't want to get involved with you, despite my... feelings. Trowa, it wasn't only that I didn't want to get hurt... I didn't want to hurt YOU."  
  
Trowa thought for a moment, then realized what to say... what his subconscience had been saying all along. He dipped his head and whispered in her ear, "The risk is worth it," before kissing her earlobe and straightening again.  
  
"Well, Romeo, where are we going now?" Maggie joked.  
  
"As unromantic as this sounds, Maggie, the surveillance room."  
  
"Wh- Ah. Sally's in there?"  
  
"I'm guessing... along with Duo, Julie, Wufei..."  
  
"Well, then, we can kill Julie and Duo, right?"  
  
Trowa flat out grinned. "I don't know if I want to anymore... the result were quite satisfying."  
  
"Oh, I'm SO happy the customer was satisfied," she retorted, batting her eyelashes in exaggeration.  
  
"Were you?" he asked softly. She hit his shoulder with about a hundredth of her strength.  
  
"Of course I'm satisfied... and very, very happy."  
  
"Good... ah, look, we're here."  
  
Trowa opened the door. "Hey, guys," Maggie said.  
  
"I would say that's Maggie's voice," said Julie without turning around, "but it's too high up. So, PLEASE, someone, tell me I'm just paranoid." Sally looked up, then grimaced.  
  
"Sorry, Julie, can't tell you that." She smirked at Wufei before finishing, "It would be dishonorable."  
  
Wufei rolled his eyes.  
  
Trowa spoke up. "Sally, I need you to take a look at Maggie's ankle."  
  
Sally looked up, all traces of amusement gone. "Why? What'ss wrong?"  
  
"I think she sprained it..."  
  
"No..." drawled Maggie, "UNE sprained it when she threw me into the wall, but, you know, that's just a mere technicality."  
  
Sally rose, immediately businesslike. "Come on."  
  
They followed Sally to her office, where Trowa gently laid Maggie on the desk. Sally bent to examine the ankle and frowned. "Maggie, how the hell were you walking? This ankle isn't sprained, it's broken!"  
  
Trowa frowned. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Of course I'm sure! Maggie, I need to snap this bone back into place, ok?"  
  
"Sure, go ahead."  
  
Sally put one hand on Maggie's heel and the other on her calf. "This is going to hurt," she warned. Maggie shrugged. Sally gave a fast twisting motion, moving her hands in opposite directions. The snap was audible, although Maggie herself never made a sound. "Maggie?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Sally was, once again, frowning. "You... ok?"  
  
She shrugged again. "I'm FINE, Sally. I TRIED to tell Trowa that, but he doesn't listen to me, obviously."  
  
Sally threw up her hands. She looked at Trowa. He looked just as confused as she. "Maggie, your ankle was just placed in traction. You're telling me you feel no pain whatsoever?"  
  
"I never said THAT."  
  
They both looked at Maggie's serene face. The only pain they saw was in her eyes, which were too expressive for her own good, in her own opinion.  
  
Sally stood up decisively. "Well, I was starting to think we had another Heero on our hands! Maggie, do you mind if Trowa comes with me to get you some painkillers?"  
  
"No, not at all, Sally," she said quietly.  
  
Trowa was about to protest when Sally snagged his arm and hauled him outside and around the corner to a one way mirror. "Watch," she whispered.  
  
Sure enough, as soon as they left, Maggie's head tipped back, letting the tears stream down her face. Her shoulders shook for a moment, then she composed herself, leaning forward toward a glass of water sitting on Sally's desk. She snatched up a tissue, dipped it in the glass, and carefully wiped her face. By the time she was finished, Trowa would have thought he had imagined her tears.  
  
"Shit."  
  
Sally nodded. "I knew she was holding it in.... run up to Dispensary and ask them for morphine.... I sent you, they'll know that."  
  
"Morphine?"  
  
"Trowa, DON'T argue with me, I know what I'm doing. Go!"  
  
Trowa set off at a run. He was back in two minutes with the hypodermic.  
  
He quickly knocked on the door to Sally's office. After a moment, Sally's voice came, "Come in, Trowa."  
  
Trowa stuck his head in, surveying quickly. Maggie looked completely composed. "What are you waiting for, Trowa? She won't bite, and she needs that morphine," said Sally.  
  
Maggie turned to Sally quickly, who immediately clapped a hand over her mouth. "Morphine?" Maggie asked incredulously. "MORPHINE?"  
  
"Now, Maggie..." Sally started.  
  
"Don't try to placate me, Sally Po! Do you know what I'll be LIKE on morphine?" She didn't wait for an answer before continuing, "It'll be like I'm severely drunk! Hey, it's all fun and games when you give BRIDGET some and lock her in a room with Kat, but this is ME!"  
  
Sally turned to Trowa. "Go get Kat out of that room, NOW."  
  
Trowa smiled, leaning against the wall. "No, I don't think I'll spoil Bridget's fun. Besides.... 1) Kat's gonna enjoy it too much for me to ruin it for him. 2) I'd prefer to stay in here while Maggie's under."  
  
"Oh, no! No. Way. You are NOT staying, Trowa, and that's final!" Maggie shrieked.  
  
As she shrieked, Sally skillfully stuck her with the needle and said, "Trowa, I'm going to go let Kat out of that room. When Maggie falls asleep, take her down the hall to one of the offices, I'm sure there's a couch in there somewhere. Any of the offices will work, and choose one for yourself."  
  
"I'd rather stay with her, if that's okay."  
  
"Sure. Trowa, she'll be fine, trust my medical opinion on this one."  
  
(Bridget: Soooooooo, Mags, how DO you kiss-)  
  
(Maggie: Not TELLIN'!)  
  
(Jess: *pout*)  
  
(Amanda: Tell us, tell us, tell us....)  
  
(Maggie: No.)  
  
(Chorus: Damn.)  
  
~*~ Meanwhile ~*~  
  
Kat swallowed silently and reached a hand out to open the door to the room where Bridget was. He looked inside and blinked... for a moment he thought she was gone, because the bed was empty. A quick, panicked surveillance of the room revealed, however, that she was standing silently by the window, her hand on the pane as she looked forlornly at the stars.  
  
To Be Continued... *mwahaha* 


	15. Admissions and Realizations

"Bridget?" Quatre called softly. She turned her head slightly in response. Kat took a deep breath and shut the door behind him as he went farther into the room. "Are you alright?" he asked when he was halfway in the room.  
  
"Hmmm? Oh yes, Kat I'm fine. I'm just thinking right now," she said slowly.  
  
"Really, about what?" Kat asked as he took another step into the room, wondering what kind of painkillers the doctor had given her.  
  
"Oh, loads of things," Bridget said calmly. Kat stood beside her, putting his hand on the window.  
  
"Such as what? About your home in your time? What Treize said?" he prompted. Bridget dropped her gaze and gave a slight nod. Kat watched as he let his hand trail down the window, tracing the cold glass and the stars till it hit sudden warmth. He took a breath as he looked to see his hand lying on top of Bridget's. He then raised his eyes to find them looking into Bridget's green ones.  
  
"What if he's telling the truth?" She whispered. "What if my whole life up to this point has been a lie? My family? My heritage? What if none of it is true? Then how do I know who I am, Quatre? How can I possibly know who I am?" Kat stood still, unsure of what to say. Bridget had always seemed to know who she was, whom her family back in her old life was and it had given her strength. Now that knowledge was in question and Kat was witnessing that strength fading.  
  
"Bridget," he said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "That's who you are."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" She demanded, voice starting to rise. He squeezed her hand.  
  
"I mean that no matter who your family really is you are still you. You are still Bridget-"She started to pull away from him then and he took her hand and brought her closer. "I'm being serious so listen. You are still funny, kind, determined..." he paused for a moment to take a breath before whispering. "And beautiful." Bridget blinked and lowered her gaze then.  
  
"No I'm not," she said.  
  
"Yes you are. I wouldn't say you where if you weren't," Kat said fiercely. He felt himself blush as she met his gaze again. "I don't believe in lying you know,"  
  
"I know," Bridget said and enclosed her fingers around his. He stared at her hand in his and smiled softly.  
  
"How are you feeling?" he asked.  
  
"Alright, I guess- they gave me some...morphine I think and it-?" She said  
  
"Morphine? They gave you morphine?" Kat demanded. Bridget blinked in surprise.  
  
"Ummmm, yeah," she said slowly as she watched him. Kat sighed and shook his head.  
  
No wonder she's so calm. He thought to himself. "Well I'm going to let you get some sleep then," Kat said with a somewhat forced smile. Bridget pouted a bit.  
  
"Sure leave me in the big room all alone," She teased. Kat smiled for real then and started to move away. "Kat, please don't go yet," He stopped short when he found her hand suddenly resting on his cheek. "It's just...there is so much I need to say...when you left-"  
  
"Bridget lets wait till you're better to talk about this," he said after removing her hand from his face and patting it.  
  
"Quatre-"  
  
"No, Bridget you need to rest then we can talk, I promise," he said as he made his hasty retreat for the door. Kat tried to open the door as Bridget sat down on the floor. Much to his annoyance it wouldn't open. "Shit," He said as he continued to try to get the door to open.  
  
"It usually works better if the door isn't locked," Bridget said from across the room. Kat looked to see her twisting her hair with an amused look on her face.  
  
"How do you know the door is locked?" He asked.  
  
"Because our friends have a sick sense of humor and I wouldn't put it past them to lock you in here with me when I'm high on painkillers, would you?"  
  
"No," Kat said irritably, realization downing on him. "No wonder they told me EXACTLY where you were." Bridget nodded.  
  
"I guess that means we get to talk now," she said, a triumphant look on her face. Kat shook his head.  
  
"Nope, you get to go to sleep while I stand guard and wait for them to get bored and open the door," He corrected.  
  
"Oh well that could take an awfully long time. Especially if Wufei is in on it...he NEVER gets bored," Bridget pointed out.  
  
"Damnit," Kat whispered to himself, knowing she was right. "Well all the same you need to go to sleep, so-"  
  
"No, we need to talk about this now. We may not get the chance again. What if you get called out on anther mission and leave me alone without a word again. Then we'll never get to talk and I don't want that, Quatre," Bridget said as she stood up. Kat glared at her as she walked over to him.  
  
"Bridget, we had a mission I-"She silenced him with a hand near his mouth.  
  
"I know that. I understand that's how you HAD to leave but I have something to tell you and it's veeeery important," Kat crossed his arms and nodded. She motioned him closer and stood on tiptoe, as if to tell him a secret. Suddenly Bridget kissed him softly. Kat's eyes widened. He pulled her away and held her at arms length.  
  
"Bridget, what?"  
  
"Oh, Quatre," Bridget said with a small smile playing on her face. "I don't know how much more blunt I have to be," She said giggled a bit.  
  
"Bridget, you don't know what your saying, what you're doing-"  
  
"I do so," Bridget said indignantly.  
  
"No, no you don't. You've been through a traumatic experience and are under the influence of your medication. You don't know what you're saying," Kat said, trying to get away from the door while keeping her away.  
  
"How dare you say that!" she cried out suddenly, tearing herself from his grasp. "I know what's in my mind and heart, Quatre. No matter what happens I will always know what is in my heart," Kat stared at her.  
  
"And what is that?" he asked, holding his breath as he waited for the answer.  
  
"You," Bridget said and closed the space between them. "You are in my heart," She whispered, running a hand through his hair. Kat shut his eyes, trying to think.  
  
"You're sick.... I refuse to take advantage of you," He whispered as her hand trailed down to his cheek.  
  
"You aren't," She assured. "You're my guardian, Quatre, my protective solder. You never could harm me," He opened his eyes and looked at her intently.  
  
"I don't want you to get hurt..."  
  
"You'll never let me get hurt, you said that to me the first time we met," He took her hand and studied it. Suddenly he kissed it softly.  
  
"You're right," He said as he pulled her closer. "I never will."  
  
Sally hurried down the hall to the room where Bridget was staying. She opened it quickly to find Kat sitting against the wall with Bridget asleep in his arms.  
  
"Quatre I am so sorry-"  
  
"Shh, she's asleep. It's all right Sally, we're both fine. Though I can't say the same for anyone who I find in the observation room," Kat said softly as he slowly got up.  
  
"Are you leaving?" Bridget asked softly.  
  
"Yes, it's time for you to go to bed. I'll be here when you wake up though," Kat said gently, marveling at how quickly the morphine was taking effect.  
  
"Promise?" Bridget asked.  
  
"With all my heart," he whispered and helped her into her bed in the corner near the window. Bridget nodded as he kissed her forehead softly. "Goodnight," He said and started for the door.  
  
"Night! Night, Sally!" Bridget called as she curled up.  
  
"Night, Bridget," Sally answered with a smile as she moved to let Kat pass by her. She shut the door and relocked it. "Was it bad?" She asked with a worried look.  
  
"No, not at all I just wish I would have had some say in the whole thing," Kat said with a smile. Sally nodded.  
  
"Maggie and Trowa were locked in a storage room, trust me Quatre, it could have been worse. However they worked things out and that's how Trowa found out Maggie's ankle is broken," Kat stopped and shook his head.  
  
"They never should have come,"  
  
"Well what were they supposed to do, Quatre? Let you all die? Don't you boys understand how much you're cared about?" Sally demanded. Kat blinked at her as she took some calming breaths.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sally. I just-"  
  
"No, it's alright, Quatre. It was wrong of me to say that. I know that you all understand. I have some work to do. I'll see you later," Sally said brusquely as she went into an office. Kat took a left and opened the door to the observation room.  
  
"Did you enjoy the show?" he asked only to find the room empty. Kat sighed and plopped into a chair. He then put his feet up and shut his eyes.  
  
"Well, mission accomplished, huh babe?" Duo asked as he put an arm around Julie's shoulders. His grin quickly vanished when she ducked underneath it and stood glaring at him.  
  
"You left me, Duo."  
  
"Now, baby, I can explain-"  
  
"Oh no you can't. Duo, you have to listen now, ok? Can you do that? Can you listen to me talk now?" Julie demanded, hands on her hips. Duo nodded.  
  
"Sure, Julie," He said and sat down in a chair quickly. Julie nodded as soon as she was sure she had his attention.  
  
"Duo, what do you think of me?" She asked. Duo raised his eyebrows at her. "Now be careful when you answer," she warned. Duo shut his mouth and studied her. His eyes ran up and down her frame, almost as if he was memorizing her. Slowly he stood and took a step toward her.  
  
"To risk sounding like a sappy song or whatever," he said, looking her straight in the eye, "I think I love you." Julie blinked at him and was about to speak when he put up a hand to silence her. "That's why I didn't tell you. I was afraid, Julie. I could never stand to see you get hurt. I'd die first. I knew if I told you then you would come after me because you're a wonderful person and you're just as protective as I am. So to protect you I didn't tell you and it tore me up, it really did. When Oz captured me all I could think of was that you were back at home safe and the fact that I was captured didn't matter that much anymore. Do you understand what I mean? I just want you to be safe forever. So many people I care about have died, Julie. I couldn't bear to lose you, too."  
  
"And you think I could bear to lose you? Duo, I've lost people I love, too. The thought that you had gone on some suicide mission was almost too much for me. I was so scared I would never get to see you again. It's true I went after you and I would do the same thing again. Don't you get that I love you too AND you're a lot more important then you think. Duo, I think you guys are going to save Earth and the Colonies," Julie said, hands on his face. "You need to be more careful so you can do that and so we can be together at the end of all this," Julie said in a soft voice. Duo shut his eyes, wondering what he had done so right in his life to find a girl like the one standing before him, and what had ever possessed him to almost lose her so completely.  
  
"I don't deserve you," He whispered.  
  
"Damn right you don't, especially after that stunt," Julie said as she turned away.  
  
"Julie, I can't say I'm sorry because I may have to do this again some day, but I can tell you this. Now YOU have to pay attention. I will always come back to you. No matter what happens. I'm not stupid enough to not come back. You believe me don't you?" He asked. Julie looked at him, searching his eyes for a few seconds before grinning.  
  
"Of course I do. You're Duo Maxwell, you may run and hide but you'll never tell a lie," She said.  
  
"Damn right, and especially not to you," He said and pulled her into a hug. "Never ever to you," He whispered into her hair. Suddenly he pulled away from her. "Julie, I have to ask you some questions, and they are going to sound really strange but just stay with me here, ok?" Julie nodded and crossed her arms. Duo took a deep breath. "If you could say anyone from here, in this time or whatever, who would you say Bridget looks like?"  
  
"Bridget?" Julie asked. Due nodded and she looked thoughtful. "Someone from here? Well I guess I'd have to say Relena- well, you know, if Pidge had longer hair, blue eyes and didn't wear glasses," Julie said with a laugh.  
  
"What do you mean long hair? Bridget's hair is the same length as Relena's now that I think about it, and what about glasses?" Duo asked.  
  
"Bridget and I both wore glasses in our time but we didn't have them when we got here. Duo, Pidge's hair only comes to her shoulders and that's only when I beg her not to cut it," Julie said with a smirk.  
  
"No, her hair is long. Think about it, and why is it that you can see without your glasses?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know," Julie said. "We never really thought about it. I was just glad I COULD see." Duo nodded.  
  
"Julie, this is going to sound horrible, but how do YOU look?" He asked.  
  
"You know how I look," Julie said with a laugh.  
  
"Yes I know how you look HERE, but I don't know how you looked THERE. So tell me,"  
  
"Fine. I have long hair-"  
  
"More descriptive than that," Duo cut in. Julie rolled her eyes a bit before starting again.  
  
"It's long and curly and it used to be brown but I dye it red. You should know that though, Duo, I needed to re-dye it before we left," Julie said matter-of-factly.  
  
"No, Julie. I thought you were a true redhead. Your roots aren't showing at all here and it's not a brownish sort of red ether," Julie frowned at him. "Don't believe me, go into the bathroom and check the mirror," Duo said as he pointed. She walked into the bathroom and turned on the light  
  
"What the hell is he going on about?" Julie muttered to herself as she looked up. Her jaw dropped. Sure enough her hair was a vibrant red color and much curlier then it had ever been back home. "H-how?" She demanded as she walked back over to Duo.  
  
"I'm not sure, babe. I have an idea though. First, tell me what Maggie looks like, no don't try and think of how she looks here but how she looked there," Julie took a deep breath and shut her eyes.  
  
"She's only a little bit taller then Bridget, who is 5'3-"  
  
"Can't be, I mean here Bridget is taller then 5'3 and Maggie is shorter then she is, only by a few inches though. Go on though," Duo said, making mental notes. "She has hair that is a little longer then B's, and lighter and blue eyes. How else am I wrong with the 'here Maggie'?" Julie asked as she opened her eyes.  
  
"She has longer hair here and it's darker," Duo said with a thoughtful frown. "The blue eyes are the same though,"  
  
"How can that be though? I mean we're the same people," Julie said as she sat down. Duo stood thinking then he nodded.  
  
"When we were captured and Bridget came bustin' in on Trieze he told her something which I think I need to tell you now. He said that all of you originally came from here. He said that you and Maggie where daughters of predominate men who were sent with Bridget to protect her," Duo said as he walked over to her.  
  
"Why would we be sent to protect Pidge, and why was she sent away in this first place?" Julie asked. Duo grinned at her.  
  
"That's the real kicker. You see our dear Bridget is none other then Relena's long lost twin who was sent away because of assassination of their parents. At first I didn't see it, but how could I have? I mean they were never really in the same room together and when we had the pool party Relena had on that damn hat and sunglasses the whole time. I mean I thought Bridget looked like someone I knew but I never would have thought she was a Peacecraft, let alone Relena's sister," Duo took a breath to see Julie sitting with her mouth open. "Hey you ok?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah, I mean, I never really felt like I belonged with my family there, you know, but oh my God, it's too funny. I can't believe Pidge is part of a Pacifist family like that," Duo snorted a bit.  
  
"Yeah, well look at Zechs."  
  
"Duo," Heero's voice came from the door. "We need to discus our next move," Duo nodded and looked at Julie. "Yes she can stay, since you told her everything anyway,"  
  
"You should be more nice to me, Heero. I'm the best friend of your future sister-in-law," Julie said sweetly. Heero stopped short as Duo snickered. He glared at her as Quatre pushed Heero into a chair. He smiled at Julie and winked. Trowa came in grumbling as Wufei shut the door behind him.  
  
"Stop whining, Barton. You'll see her later I'm sure. Or she'll come hunt you down ether way you'll see her later," Wufei said as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door. Suddenly his dark eyes landed on Julie. "Why is the red haired onna here?" He demanded.  
  
"Because she already knows everything," Heero said steely.  
  
"She has a right to," Duo said. "They all do, I mean if it's true-"  
  
"It is true," Heero said.  
  
"What?" Julie asked.  
  
"How would you know?" Wufei demanded. Trowa and Duo simply nodded, already knowing it was.  
  
"Heero-"Kat began only to be cut off.  
  
"But that isn't the most important thing right now. What we have to figure out is how to get a princess of the Sanc Kingdom treated in the safest manner for her. That means that she can't return with us," Heero stated.  
  
"What do you mean, not return with us?" Julie demanded.  
  
"It's too risky for her. There is a medical colony near here where the doctor who treated Bridget is from. I say we have Sally ask that Bridget be treated there and then will be picked up by Sally when she is better. However, we have to make this decision fast because we are approaching quickly and none of us can go with her," Heero said and waited for the explosion. He didn't have to wait long.  
  
"Heero we can't leave her alone there!" Kat cried as he stood up.  
  
"He's right," Wufei said. "If she's as important as she seems to be then we have to guard her,"  
  
"Also Pidge is like, no she IS my sister. Maybe not by blood or anything like that but she is my sister all the same. I don't care what you think Heero Yuy you are NOT sending my sister to some colony all alone. Besides that if this is all true then Maggie and I are supposed to protect her," Julie pointed out.  
  
"Yes but none of us can protect her while we are wanted by Oz," Trowa said suddenly.  
  
"Trowa," Kat said softly.  
  
"Quatre, I'm sorry but I see Heero's point. Oz wants the girls and us. If it's just Bridget herself then it will cause less attraction. Sally said the doctor already thinks that Bridget is just a friend of Sally's who was injured doing Gorilla work. She won't let anything happen to a patient so the safest place for her to get better would probably be there. Maggie's ankle is broken but she can move if we need her too, Bridget be in worse shape then that no matter what she has told you. We have to make sure she's safe," Trowa said evenly, though he knew Maggie was going to be extremely angry with him when she found out he had backed Heero on this decision. Heero nodded.  
  
"We need to decide now," He said. "I say we leave her behind, for now,"  
  
"I say the same," Trowa said, not looking up.  
  
"Fine, but if she gets hurt I will personally tell Relena who's idea this was," Duo said with a sigh.  
  
"Agree," Wufei said with a bit of a growl. Julie looked around and put her arms up in the air.  
  
"Fine Yuy but you're the one telling Maggie what happened and if anything happens to her I will kill you myself,"  
  
"Noted," Heero said and looked to Kat.  
  
"I can't leave her," Kat said. "I promised,"  
  
"Kat, we need to protect her right now and if you stay with her it will just draw more attention. Bridget is smart; she'll be able to look after herself. You have to trust her," Trowa said. Kat nodded.  
  
"I know, it's just that I promised..." His voice trailed off as he lowered his head in defeat. Heero nodded and got up.  
  
"I'm going to tell Sally, and when Maggie wakes up I will tell her," He said and slipped past a glowering Wufei and through the door.  
  
Bridget groaned as she opened her eyes.  
  
"Kat?" She whispered.  
  
"I'm sorry," A female voice said. Bridget frowned and turned her attention toward its owner. A fairly tall woman with chin-length curly blind hair and blue eyes was checking her pulse. "I'm your doctor from the other night," She continued. "You are in a neutral zone so you can relax," She said with a kind smile. Bridget stared up at her, mind working over time.  
  
"Where is everyone?" She asked.  
  
"Sally had to move on but she thought you would be safer here," The doctor said. Bridget squinted; she seemed like someone Bridget ought to know. Suddenly it hit her.  
  
Quatre you may not have been here when I woke up but I think you have left me with the best person other then yourself to protect me. Bridget thought, a smile starting to play on her face.  
  
"Doctor, thank you for continuing to care for me, could I please know your name?"  
  
"Oh, of course. I'm sorry; I'm a bit frazzled with just getting back and all. My name is Iria Winner." 


	16. Stoicism and Sisterhood

"Pidge is where?" Maggie asked in low even tones. Heero stood his ground before her as Duo took an involuntary step backwards.

"She is back on a Colony getting treatment." He said.

"Who gave you the right to make this decision?" Maggie demanded as she stood up with the aid of a crutch.

"Because we have to protect the princess of the Sac Kingdom." Heero countered.

"So go find Relena then." Maggie said angrily.

"No, Maggie." Trowa said putting a hand on her arm. "Bridget IS a princess of the Sanc Kingdom."

"Huh?" Maggie said uncomprehendingly as she looked at her friends around the room. Julie pushed past Heero and quickly relayed the conversation she and Duo had. Maggie's eyes widened then narrowed at Heero. "Well then Julie and I ought to be protecting her so why aren't we?"

"Because she is more protected on that colony without the rest of us there to call attention to her." Trowa said gently.

"You're backing him on this?" Maggie rounded on the circus performer.

"Someone's in trouble." Wufei said softly as he sat down to "enjoy" the show.

"Yes." Trowa said standing his full height though he knew it wouldn't help him one bit. "Maggie we need her to get better and she never seems to get better when she's at the Estate." Here he paused to give Kat a sympathetic look, which was waved away. "On that colony she is just a hurt civilian, not wanted by Oz, not a friend of the Gundams, not a princess. She is just a hurt girl who needs help. When she is better Sally is going to get her and bring her back. Till then YOU have to let your ankle heal. Then we can all protect her when she gets back, alright?" Maggie narrowed her blue eyes at him and then slumped her shoulders.

"Your logic is sound, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Fine you win, Barton. But don't think it's going to become a common occurrence." She warned with her crutch.

"I never would." He said with a smile.

"Good." Maggie said and sat down again. Suddenly she smiled at Julie and waved her over. Heero raised an eyebrow and Kat even looked up as they whispered to each other and then Julie burst out laughing. Julie helped Maggie up and they started out the door.

"And what mischief are you two going to cause?" Wufei asked as he put out his legs to block them.

"None at all." Julie said sweetly. "We're going to find a wheelchair for Maggie so she doesn't have to hobble around and can recover more quickly."

"Wheelchair?" Kat asked with a smile starting to come on his face.

"You don't need a wheelchair you crazy onna." Wufei said to Maggie. "You just want to cause trouble and be mobile at the same time."

"I would never do that." Maggie said, eyes wide with innocence. "Now if you don't mind moving you damn legs I have a chair to hunt down." She said and gave Wufei a sharp shot to the legs with her crutch. Wufei reluctantly put them down and let the girls pass, both smiling sweetly at him. When the door shut behind them he glared at Trowa and Duo. "You better keep and eye on them. Onna is their conscience and she isn't here right now."

"They can behave without Bridget." Duo said easily. They heard a load crash outside. "But maybe we ought to give them a tour of the ship anyway." He said quickly as he and Trowa bolted out of the room. Heero grunted and shook his head. Wufei had a smug look on his face as he threw a clipboard at Kat.

"Don't look so worried, Winner. Onna will be fine, after all I trained her." Kat smirked and rolled his eyes at Wufei.

"MAXWELL!!!" Wufei roared. "LOOK WHAT YOUR WOMAN HAS DONE!!!"

Duo skidded into the room and watched in confusion as Julie bodily lifted Maggie and deposited her in a wheelchair. "Um.. what did she do, Wu-Man?"

"SHE HAS MADE THE SHE-DEVIL MOBILE!!!" Wufei ranted. "Does ANYONE see the INJUSTICE to this?!"

"Here, Julie," Maggie grinned, "Help me duct tape this crutch to the arm to make a battering ram!"

Heero sighed a bit as he heard a crash downstairs. He didn't even bother to try to figure out what it was; Wufei had made the mistake of trying to break Maggie's new toy and had become her new favorite target with it. For two days now the Chinese boy had been getting the training of a lifetime with a cackling Maggie and Julie never far from him. Heero shook his head as he heard Wufei yelling about playing by some rules and injustice. Somehow with Wufei it had turned into more of a game when most people would be fearing for their lives. Heero then turned his laptop on and started to search, once again for files that he wasn't sure even existed.

Though he would never let anyone know it Heero was trying to find something, anything on his past before Oden. Every time though the search had come out with less then glowing results and left an irate Heero Yuy in it's wake. This time his fingers paused over the keys.

Why not? he wondered to himself, a small smile starting to creep over his face. It just may work and even if it doesn't it would be more entertaining then watching Quatre mope and Wufei play obstacle course.

Later that night Heero jumped over a fence and let his eyes search a compound. He slowly got up and then ran toward a door when a voice silenced him.

"Good evening Heero, what took you so long?" Heero turned to see Doctor J standing behind him with a smile playing on his face. Heero glared at the crazy old man. "Well don't just stand there boy, Oz could be watching. Get inside so we can start our pleasant little visit." Heero doubted it would be all that pleasant but stepped inside anyway. "Take a seat," Dr. J offered, although he knew Heero would allow no such breach of security.

"I'll stand," he answered back in a low tone, placing his back against the wall.

"As I suspected. So, what brings you back to me, Heero?"

"I want to know about my family. I'm sick of this cat and mouse shit." Heero said as he crossed his arms.

Dr. J pursed his lips. "Ah, direct and to the point, as usual. I believe your mother and father suffered an untimely death during the war of the colonies- quite tragic." His mocking tone made Heero want to pull his gun and shoot the old man where he stood, but that would never do. Not so early in the proceedings. Perhaps he was learning something from Relena, after all. "Your sister, however, did survive, if I am not mistaken." Heero was startled, although he did not show it.

"Sister."

"Younger by 10 months, actually. I believe she was taken in by a prominent family to become bodyguard and companion to some royalty or other." Dr. J waved a negligent hand. Heero's heart stopped. He had the worst feeling in the world that he knew EXACTLY what kingdom took his sister in...and who his sister was.

"Was it the Sanc Kingdom?" Heero growled.

"Entirely possible," Dr. J agreed. "It very well could have been. Why do you ask?" The doctor asked without looking at the young man before him. Heero's mind was working too swiftly to answer for a moment. His mind was methodically matching Maggie's appearance with his own, marking identical hair color, eye color, skin color, and build.

Fool, he thought to himself. "Because the girls assigned to protect that Kingdom died years ago," he lied glibly. The last thing he needed was to lose his sister- even if she WAS insufferable- because the Drs. found her to be leverage. Not to mention Trowa killing him. Although- he wasn't sure he wanted a sister of his dating a Gundam pil- What am I THINKING?! "So my family is dead," he said in a deadpan voice.

"It would appear so, Mr. Yuy. My condolences-" the doctor began half-heartedly.

"Are not needed. I am unfeeling- the way you taught me." And with that, Heero disappeared to head home to his sister- who had no idea who she was. The irony of it was, Heero thought with a touch of humor, they already fought like siblings.

Heero got back to the Estate while it was still dark and his mind was still racing. He had a sister; he had family who was alive. The thought of it was still dizzying. So dizzying in fact that he tripped over something. He didn't have to even look up to know what it was. Maggie's laughing was more then enough of a clue. He stood up and looked at the giggling girl in the wheel chair before him. He wondered what HE would do if he was given the chance to be in a wheelchair and create all kinds of chaos. He smiles internally as he realized he would do just what she was doing...perhaps just on a larger scale. Maggie was staring at him now.

"What's wrong with you? Aren't you going to curse at me or aim your gun at me or anything?" Maggie asked. "I was expecting the wrath of God, here ya know. Are you sick?" She asked, blue eyes suspicious in case it was a trap.

"I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind." He said and started up the stairs. He paused when he heard Maggie counting.

"Oh.My.God that was more then four words and NO cursing. Yuy, are you positive your ok?" She asked as she wheeled herself to the foot of the stairs. Heero ignored the question and continued to his room. Maggie frowned a bit. With a deceive nod she wheeled herself into her room on the main floor and put on her computer.

Upstairs Heero was already starting a new search. His blue eyes fell onto the small warning that had started to flash to warn him of someone else being able to fallow his search step by step. Normally Heero would then have taken a few seconds to program them on a false trail but tonight he knew who was following him. He continued his search quickly.

"What the fuck?" Maggie muttered to herself as she watched the ascreen. "Why is he searching for people who were born ten months after that date. Is that his birthday? Damnit I need Julie or Pidge...they where the fanatics about all of this." Maggie whispered, knowing full well if they ever got home she would be just as, if not more fanatical herself. Both pairs of eyes scanned pages, looking for clues.

"Hn." Heero said after this had been going on for about an hour. He understood that many records where hard to find because of the destruction of so many colonies but they had to be somewhere. He knew every Colony put records into computers and there for had to send them! He was starting to think of giving up for the night but Maggie was still there, if he didn't find what he was looking for she would ask him too many questions. Suddenly his fingers stopped. "What?" He asked himself as he looked at the family.

"Father was predominate in the colony...mother a former Resistance fighter....two children that where ten months apart before the colony was destroyed...maybe." He clicked on the names. Maggie's eyes widened as the page changed to that of a picture of a family with a small boy and girl...both babies. She read the background history and found herself starting to reel. The worlds "predominate man" kept appearing to describe the father. Her and Heeros eyes both widened as they read, "Their daughter was agreed to go and live with the Peaceraft family of the Sanc Kingdom to be not only the princess bodyguard but friend. However when the colony was destroyed there was no evidence of survivors. Some people believe that both children where taken from the Colony earlier but that also has not be proven." Maggie blinked and leaned back in her chair as Heero reread the words to himself. It fit. It all seemed to fit. Suddenly Maggie's face appeared before him through the communications line.

"What the hell are you doing, Yuy?" She asked. "I know that you know I witnessed this search. Your not that stupid, so why did you bring me to this page?"

"Because I needed to know and I figured it would save me a lot of talking if I just let you fallow me." He said coolly.

"I never save you from talking. What is this all about?" She demanded.

"The only person who I ever remember taking care of me was an assassin, in fact it was the assassin who killed the real Heero Yuy." Heero said and much to Maggie's surprise seemed be settling himself in to tell a story. "When he was killed I met Doctor J who told me to come with him. There I was trained to be an emotionless solder. I became a Gundam Pilot and met Relena and the other pilots. What they don't know is that I have been trying to find out about my family for years now. When I heard what Trieze said about you all having to come from here it reminded me of my search. Tonight I went to Dr J and he told me a very sketchy version of what we just read; that I had a mother and a father who ere killed and a sister who was sent away to some kingdom to be a bodyguard." He paused and looked at her. "YOU were sent away to be Bridget's bodyguard at the Sanc Kingdom. YOU had family here but they are now dead. YOU happen to look and think quite a bit like I do. Put two and two together Maggie, you'll find out it still equals four." She tried to glare at him but couldn't. Heero watched as she looked over the information again and then to him.

"So your saying that you think we're brother and sister?" She asked.

"Yes, we can ask sally to take a blood test for us. She'll keep it a secret." Maggie nodded at him.

"Good idea. Then we can know for sure." She said. Heero nodded and was about to sign off when she said "Heero, just so ya know. Of all the guys you're the one who I would most want to be my brother." He nodded.

"Rodger that." He said and disappeared from the screen.

Maggie sat back in her wheelchair. "Heero's my brother," she said aloud softly, trying out the sound of it on her tongue. Suddenly the animosity she felt toward him made total sense.

"What?!" a startled voice said from the doorway.

"Shit," Maggie said softly as she wheeled the chair around to come face to face with Kat. Quatre was staring at her with a sudden air of alacrity.

"You- and Heero?"

"Yes, it's true," Maggie, said softly.

"But- that's- HEERO?!"

"Yes, Kat, Heero. And Me. And I'd REALLY appreciate it if you didn't tell Trowa. I'm not sure how he'll take it, and I'd like to tell him myself." She said with a sigh. Trowa edged away from the kitchen door silently, reeling. Maggie and Heero what? Were they having an affair? Was Maggie going to let him down easy? He couldn't believe it- and yet, acting like they wanted to kill each other was the perfect way to hide the fact that they were- Trowa swallowed- lovers. Trowa didn't know what to do. Sighing, he squared his shoulders and went up to Heero's room. He knocked.

"What?" Heero grunted from inside.

"Can I come in?" Trowa asked through gritted teeth.

"Hn," Heero said noncommitally. Trowa swung the door open.

"Heero, I just wanted to tell you that the masqurade is over. I know abotu you and Maggie." Heero sat up on the bed.

"Did she tell you ALREADY?"

Trowa shrugged. "I overheard her telling someone else." Heero scowled.

"Does that girl have any concept of the word 'secret?'" Trying to ignore the fact that his blood was starting to boil, Trowa plowed on, "And I hope you two are happy- if you hurt her, I will kill you." Heero nodded.

"I reciprocate that sentiment." Trowa didn't hear it, however, because he was halfway down the stairs toward Maggie to tie it off nice and neatly. Trowa encountered Maggie trying to reach for the jar of cookies on the counter.

"Trowa!" her face lit up. "Get me a cookie, will you?" Trowa kept his face completely still.

"I wanted you to know," he began, facing the countertop, "That I know about you and Heero, and I'm going to save us both pain by lettign you be with him. I hope you two will be very happy."

"I don't knwo what you're talking about, but can you get me a cookie PLEASE?" she asked.

"Why don't you ask HEERO to get the cookie for you?!" Trowa finally snapped. "Seeing as he's your lover."

"My..." Maggie began to laugh hystrerically.

"My- My LOVER?" she gasped out between giggles. "Oh, Trowa, you don't honestly think that I would EVER- ew!"

"I heard you tell Kat," he said staunchly.

"Trowa," Maggie said calmly, "Heero is my BROTHER." Trowa glared at her.

"Maggie, don't try to makes exscuses-what? Your?"

"My BROTHER. Come here." She said and led him, reluctantly to her computer. She showed him the page that was still up. "Doctor J told him that he had a sister, Trowa, a sister who is ten months younger and was sent way to a kingdom to be a bodyguard. Look at this page." Trowa's green eyes widened as he read the page. He looked at her and she smirked at him. "I was telling Kat that he's my brother, Trowa. He's going to ask Sally to come and administer a blood test for us later today."

"Oh God." He said and put his head in his hands. Maggie laughed a bit messed his hair.

"Asnd here I thought that I was going to be the jealous one. Oh this is just to Star Wars for words." She said with a laugh. "I can't wait to tell Pidge. She'll DIE."

"It's not funny." Trowa's muffled voice responded. Suddenly he looked up. "What's Star Wars?"

"You don't know what Star Wars is? Oh, poor Trowa you are so deprived. If you get me a cookie I'll tell you all about it." Maggie said and gave him a hug.

"Maggie, I am so-"

"Trowa, I know. It's ok. You misheard, just next time come to me before you start jumping to conclusions. I love you, Trowa. I really do." She said and kissed him. "Now get me a cookie and all will be forgot...well no it won't be forgotten because I still have to tell the girls but I won't let them make fun of you."

"What about Heero?" Trowa asked. Maggie put the cookie down.

"What did you say to Heero?" She asked.

"I don't think he understood what I was implying. I didn't want to actually say it to him."

"Well, then I'd just assume he thinks you know about us being siblings, which you do, and leave it at that." Maggie said with a smile. Trowa looked worried.

"Ummm...."

"Trowa, it's fine. Now look, it's 5am, why are you up?"

"I got up to make coffee, why are YOU up is the more appropriate question."

"I didn't go to bed yet." She said sheepishly.

"Maggie!"

"What?! It's hard to break bad habits!" She grinned. "And it's fun to make new ones- like harassing my brother!" Trowa sighed.

"You should REALLY get some sleep... Miss Yuy."

Maggie made a face. "Ugh... dunno if I'm too fond of that one."

Trowa smiled. Maggie Barton is far nicer, he thought. He took the handles of her wheelchair and began pushing her towards the living room.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm going to pull out the bed out of the couch. Then I can watch the news, and you can get some rest."

"Hey Trowa?"

"Yes?" he asked as he tucked her into the bed, having fetched Mr. Bear and Trowa tiger.

"When can I talk to Pidge? I miss her." she said sleepily.

"Soon, Maggie. She'd got to get better, and so do you."

"Kay," she murmured before turning over and instantly falling asleep. Trowa sat with the TV on, but he really watched her. Unbeknownst to both, Heero was perched on the roof, watching his newfound sister through the skylight as the sun came up.

Sally hummed as she started up the walk to the Estate, medical bag in hand.

"Afternoon Sally!" Julie cried as she jumped out of the Mobil Suite she had been training in. Sally grimaced at the site and wondered if maybe she just ought to live on the Estate to give Dr. Baith a break.

"Afternoon Julie, Duo. Where's Maggie? Heero said she needed me." Julie smirked a bit.

More like HE needs you. She thought to herself. Not that he would ever say that.

"In the house on the couch." Duo said cheerfully as he opened the door. "Trowa got her to camp out there around five o'clock and it's only noon so she may still be asleep..." He paused as he heard noise coming from the living room. "No she's up."

"Die, onna!" Wufei cried as he threw some popcorn at Maggie who was hiding behind a pillow, her own bowl of popcorn on her lap.

"HA! You missed me." Maggie cried and with a smirk threw the entire bowel at him. Wufei kicked it away and started to advance toward the couch with his own bowl in his hands.

"Wufei?" Sally asked, with an amused look on her face. Wufei stopped and spun around. He took in the sitiuation and shrugged.

"The movie Quatre put in was boring." He said simply and then when Maggie wasn't looking tossed the popcorn in her face.

"Bastard." She sputtered and looked for something to retaliate with. Sally's eyes widened as Wufei started out the door and Maggie took Trowa's flute case and aimed. BAM! The case connected with the back of Wufei's head. "HA!" Wufei spun around, black eyes narrowed.

"YOU.ARE.GOING.TO.DIE!" He said in a low voice.

"Enough." Heero said as he came down the stairs. He surveyed the mess that was once Quatre's living room with a stoic look.

"It wasn't us for once." Duo said with his hands up in the air.

"That's a surprise." Heero said as he walked over to Maggie.

"Come on Duo, Wufei, we're going outside." Julie said as she pulled Duos braid and started out the door.

"What? Why? It's just a checkup." Duo asked.

"I'm not leaving." Wufei said as he crossed his arms.

"Wufei, don't you think we need to train more being that you just got slammed in the back of the head by a popcorn bowl?" Julie asked with a smirk. Wufei seemed to think about this shortly.

"Fine." He said and followed Julie and Duo.

Sally watched them leave and then steeled her gaze on Heero who didn't seem to be leaving.

"I have the feeling that this is going to be more then a regular checkup isn't it?" She asked with a smile.

"Why couldn't we stay inside and Heero did?" Duo asked.

"Because Heero will be quiet." Trowa said from where he was making repairs on Heavyarms. Wufei looked at the house.

"There's something going on that we don't know Maxwell." Wufei said to Duo. Duo looked around at Julie, Kat and Trowa who were all busying themselves.

"Your right, Wufei. No one will tell us just yet. We'll find out soon though." Duo said with a smile. Wufei nodded.

"Of course we will. We find out everything anyway."

Sally put the last tube carefully in her bag.

"Well Maggie, your ankle is healing fine and I will bring you back these results by tomorrow." She paused and smiled at them. "Though I hope that your suspicions are right."

"Thanks." Maggie said as she resettled herself and looked around the room. "Tell Wufei to get in here and clean this up before Kat sees-"the back door shutting cut her off, Kat walked past, stopped and looked in the room again and sighing. "Too late." Maggie said and smiled at Kat. He nodded at her and shook his head.

"Everything all right?" He asked as he stepped in.

"Fine." Sally said with a smile.

"Wufei helped make the mess." Maggie said looking guilty.

"It's fine, Maggie, its just popcorn we can get that up easily." Kat said with a smile. "I'll walk you to your car." He added to Sally.

"Thank you, Quatre. I'll be back tomorrow." She said and followed him out the door.

"He really misses her doesn't he?" Heero asked as he stood up.

"Huh? Oh yah he does miss Pidge. Don't you miss Relena when you're not around her?" Maggie asked. Heero gave her a glare.

"No." He said and left the room.

"HAHAHA. Yes you do and it's not nice to lie to your sister." Maggie called.

"Sister?" Maggie jumped a bit to see Wufei and Duo in the doorway.

"Well now that is a juicy bit of gossip." Duo said as he put his arm on Wufei's shoulder. Wufei nodded.

"See Maxwell I told you that you wouldn't regret coming in here to help me clean up."

"You literally held me at gunpoint."

"Yes but now we know the secret."

"Oh! I bet Bridget doesn't know yet. We can tease her with the knowledge." Duo said excitedly as he got out the vacuum cleaner.

"I'm still sitting right here." Maggie said. "Besides you should be nice to her she lead the rescue for your sorry asses."

"That is true." Duo said with a pout.

"Well if I can't tease her I'll have nothing to say to her." Wufei said as he crossed his arms.

"Call her your highness I bet that would piss her off." Julie said and hit Wufei on the arm.

"Oh, Julies your right it will." Maggie said. The two of them started to laugh when Kat came back in looking downcast. Everyone quieted down and looked at him.

"What? There's just no word it. Why are you looking at me?" He demanded.

"Nothing." Julie said quickly. Kat frowned at her and sat in a chair to watch Duo and Wufei attempt to clean up the room while Maggie told them pieces they where missing. Maggie smiled as she got to order the boys around.

God, it's good to be home. She thought. Hopefully tomorrow's news will only make it feel homier here.


End file.
